


Don't Look Back

by SkewedReality



Series: Don't Look Back [1]
Category: Glee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-22
Updated: 2012-07-22
Packaged: 2017-11-10 12:24:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 72,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/466230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkewedReality/pseuds/SkewedReality
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Blaine is in a slave market with his parents who went with the intention of browsing for a new slave to work around the house. Blaine splits away from them, disgusted, and sees Kurt.</p><p>Kurt is badly beaten, starved, and sick, and his slave trader is about to kill him because he won’t be able to make any money off of him. Blaine stops him and buys Kurt. Then he takes him home and starts Kurt on the long road to recovery. </p><p>Contains: slavery, hurt/comfort, past abuse, violence, and eventual depictions of non-con. Nothing especially explicit, but I tagged it anyway for the sake of a trigger warning. This is first and foremost a hurt/comfort story.<br/>(As posted on the GKM)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It was the _smell_ that completely turned Blaine off of going to the auctions with his parents. He remembered that now. He remembered the godawful smell that could only be described as human squalor. Sure, the vendors had all of their goods prominently displayed. The sellers would have their men stand up straight to showcase their strength and their women kept their eyes cast to the ground in a show of submission. The children and teenagers were all on their knees. It was their place, because they knew that, unlike the older products, the teenagers weren't bought for their strength or skill, they were bought for a different, more sinister purpose.

As Blaine wandered in between the rows of vendors all touting the value of their slaves, his stomach roiled. He wanted to find his father and leave. To get as far away from there as possible. He knew, however, the reason that his parents were there. They were there to buy. Blaine's eyes drifted across the rows of too-skinny, too-broken people. They were _people_ , human beings. They had once had hopes and dreams for the future, but now they were being sold like livestock, because that's what they were in this society. Livestock. Only, livestock held more intrinsic value.

He felt sick. The aisles went on forever.

"You! Boy!"

Blaine turned to face the man who had called him.  
"I think I've got something you'd like," the man said, his voice had all the cadence of a salesman.  
"I'm not interested," Blaine answered flatly, turning to walk away.  
"Not interested you say? Look at these girls, boy. They've never even been owned before. They're _fresh_ ," the vendor said, winking.

Blaine's stomach did a sick flip as he realized what the man was implying. These girls were "fresh". Virgins. Someone would be buy one of these girls, take them home and..."No. No, thank you."

The man reached forward and put his hand on Blaine's shoulder. "Look, son," he said, his voice almost condescending. "A boy like you deserves a girl like one of the ones I've got here." The vendor stepped back and put his hands on one of the girls—a young blonde with a terrified expression. Blaine could tell that she was new to the slave trade. She couldn't have been older than fifteen. She hadn't learned to keep her expression neutral. To not show that she was afraid.

The salesman brought his hand to the girl's front to squeeze her hips. "Look at the curves on this one. She's got strong hips, legs that won't quit, and look at those tits, son," the man said suggestively, winking and cocking an eyebrow. Blaine had to swallow back the bile in his throat.

Blaine did his best to look past the man. He was raised to listen politely when an adult is talking, but he knew he was pushing his limits. As he was doing his best to dutifully ignore the disgusting man trying to sell him a human being, a small movement behind the slave display platform caught his eye. The man suddenly noticed his distraction. "Are you listening?"  
Blaine ignored the question. "What's that behind the platform?" He asked, pointing to a small pile of what looked like blankets.

"Oh, that's just a reject. This is his last auction." The man gestured dismissively toward the bundle of cloth.

Blaine sidestepped the vendor and, as he got closer to the bundle of sheets, he saw a boy lying, curled up, on top of the pile. Blaine's stomach dropped into his shoes. He'd never seen anyone look so...broken before. Not even a reject. Something about this boy pulled Blaine in. He wanted—no, needed to help him. Before he could stop himself, Blaine dropped to his knees next to the boy and carded his fingers lightly through his chestnut brown hair. The boy's eyes fluttered open. The startlingly blue eyes hit Blaine like a shockwave. They were so expressive. Blaine could feel the terror and the pain and the hopelessness that the boy felt.

In that moment he realized that the boy knew that this was his last auction, that he'd been labeled a reject. That beautiful broken boy knew that, after the end of the auction tonight, he was going to die. The terror in his eyes was heartbreaking, but even worse was the fact that, even though the boy was terrified, he was too weak to cry out. Too weak to beg for his own life to be spared. All he could do was lie and wait for the end to come. He was trembling on the cold floor, wearing a pair of ragged boxer shorts and a t-shirt that had more holes than fabric.

"You don't want that one. He's useless. He's had at least five owners already."

Sick. Blaine felt sick. Five owners. _At least_ five owners. Five owners breaking and obviously abusing him in ways Blaine couldn't even bear to think about. He reluctantly lifted his gaze from the beautiful boy on the floor to look at the salesman. "How much is he?" Blaine asked, unable to believe that those words had just come from his mouth.

The seller hedged around answering, so Blaine repeated the question more forcefully, standing up to meet the man's gaze. He quickly thought about the fact that he only had about ten dollars in his wallet, and his stomach rolled again as he realized that he could probably buy this boy and have some change left over.

The man huffed out a breath and lifted his arms at his side. "Uh...make me an offer."

A person. Blaine was about to make an offer to purchase a human being. His stomach lurched at the thought, but he knew that he had to save this boy. "I'll give you five bucks." He tried to act almost disinterested. It was illegal to show too much compassion for slaves. Illegal to treat them like people.

The seller stuck out his hand for Blaine to take. "Son, I don't know why you want that one, but you've got a deal. I almost feel bad for taking your money. That one's useless. He's all worn out. I suppose he's trained real good though."

Blaine gave his hand one proper shake before letting go as though he'd been electrocuted. He wanted to get himself, and the boy, as far away from the man as possible. "Can I take the blankets? He'll freeze outside."

The man gestured toward them in agreement as he took Blaine's money. Blaine slipped him an extra dollar for the blankets before walking over to the boy he'd just purchased and kneeling down beside him.

"Hey, can you look at me, please," Blaine asked softly, stroking the boy's hair again in what he hoped was a comforting gesture. The boy's eyes fluttered open again weakly. "You can sleep if you want to, but I just wanted you to know that you're going to be okay. I've got you now. I won't hurt you." The boy shifted slightly in what looked like an attempt to sit up. He was too weak to actually pull it off though. "It's okay. Don't try and get up. I've got you." He stroked the boy's hair again gently, feeling the weak, confused stare that was fixed on his face. "You're okay. Can you tell me your name?"

The boy looked as though he wanted to answer, opening his mouth but shutting it again quickly with a wince. Blaine pulled the water bottle out of his jacket pocket and twisted open the lid. "Here," he offered. "It's okay. Take a drink."

He lifted the boy's head off the floor and held the bottle to his lips. The boy gave the bottle an apprehensive look, and Blaine could only guess how many times he'd been tricked before. He just continued whispering reassurances until he saw the boy take one sip, pausing to make sure that it truly wasn't a trick, and then taking a real drink. Blaine took the bottle away.

"I'm sorry, but I don't want to give you too much right now. I don't know how you'll handle it. I promise, I'll give you more later. You can have all you want. Now, can you tell me your name?"

The boy lifted his head weakly and whispered, "Kurt."

The boy's—Kurt's—voice took Blaine by surprise. Even weak and tired, it sounded like bells. Like music. Blaine tried his best to give him a small smile, but felt it fall just short of genuine. Kurt was still trembling. _God,_ Blaine thought. _He looks so small._ It looked as though the tiniest thing would break him. He was just so...fragile. Blaine knew there was no way that Kurt was going to be able to walk, and, even if he could, there was no way that Blaine was going to let him try. They were going to have to go outside in the bitter chill of January, and Kurt was wearing nothing but rags.

Thinking quickly, Blaine shrugged out of his jacket. "Kurt," he asked softly. Kurt lifted his head in acknowledgment. "I'm going to sit you up now. Okay?" He received a weak nod of agreement. Blaine slid his arm under Kurt's shoulders and lifted him. As he sat him up, Kurt started coughing, his tiny frame wracked with obviously painful convulsions. Blaine rubbed a hand against his back helplessly. Finally, the coughing fit subsided, leaving the already fragile boy, gasping to catch his breath.

"I-I'm s-s-sorry," Kurt apologized fervently, his voice whisper quiet and pleading. Pleading for what, Blaine wasn't immediately sure, but as Kurt shrunk away and covered his face with his hands defensively, he figured it out. He was waiting to be hit. For coughing. Blaine had to swallow the bile that rose in his throat over the idea of anyone hitting Kurt for any reason, let alone for coughing.

Blaine bit back his anger. He didn't want to scare Kurt. He needed him to know that he was safe. "No, Kurt," Blaine soothed, sliding his hand across his back. "Don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong."  
"I-I was loud. I-I'm sorry," he apologized again in a whisper.  
"You were loud because you were coughing. You couldn't help that you needed to cough, Kurt. We'll get you to the doctor to get that cough taken care of." He did his best to be reassuring, but he wasn't exactly sure what would help. Where does one start to make someone who has been abused and treated like they were sub-human believe that they weren't going to be hurt anymore. How can that trust ever be rebuilt?

Blaine reached over Kurt's lap, doing his best to ignore the way the other boy flinched away from his hand, and gathered up the blanket to drape over Kurt's bare lap. Kurt eyed the blanket with an almost awed expression. Blaine lifted his jacket from his own lap and asked Kurt to stretch out his arms. He complied too quickly, obviously desperate to obey orders. It was a habit that would have to be done away with.

He stood up and truly looked at Kurt for the first time. Now that he wasn't curled in on himself, Blaine could see that he was actually quite tall. His legs were stretched out in front of him and his hands were toying idly with a loose thread on the blanket. The jacket hung loosely off his shoulders.

Blaine never thought he'd see anyone be swimming in _his_ clothes, but Kurt was tiny. He knew that they'd have to be careful with food, because it was obvious that Kurt hadn't been fed regularly. He literally looked starving. But through all that, there was something that stood out, something that out-shined all the bad: Kurt was beautiful.

Blaine took a deep breath to steady himself. He just wanted to get Kurt as far away as possible, wanted to get him off the cold concrete floor, but he didn't want to startle him. "Kurt, I'm going to pick you up. Is that okay? I don't want you to try to walk. I'm afraid you'll fall. I won't hurt you."

Kurt's eyes widened in terror, so Blaine continued to patiently reassure him. He knew that Kurt wouldn't refuse or fight if he just walked forward and scooped him up, but it was the principle of the thing. He wanted Kurt to be okay with it. Finally, Kurt nodded. Blaine pressed further. "Kurt, may I lift you up?" He wanted to hear Kurt say that it was okay, wanted Kurt to know that he wouldn't act until he was given permission.

Kurt looked confused, but he answered, "Y-Yes."

Blaine stepped forward and instructed the other boy to wrap his arms around his neck before sliding an arm underneath his knees and lifting him off the floor, thankful that the blanket stayed in place.

Kurt was light, too light. It wasn't even a struggle to carry him. He was barely holding himself upright in Blaine's arms. It hurt so badly to see someone be so weak. Blaine walked quickly to his car and, after a little bit of effort, managed opened the back door with his foot. He set Kurt gently into the backseat. "You can lie down if you'd like. I'm going to take you home now. The car will be warm in a minute, but keep yourself wrapped up in those blankets, okay?"

Kurt nodded and lay down across the backseat. Blaine reached into the passenger's seat and picked up a spare jacket, balling it up and tucking it under Kurt's head. As he watched the shivers slowly subside and Kurt's face relax into something that could _almost_ be considered relaxed, a swell of emotion washed over Blaine. He slid his fingers gently through the other boy's hair. "I promise I'm going to make you better, Kurt. No one will ever hurt you again, Kurt, I promise."

Blaine could hear his voice breaking and his promises start to ramble, but he needed Kurt to hear them, even if he didn't believe them yet, he needed to hear them.

When Kurt slowly turned his head to meet Blaine's gaze, his blue eyes were wet and he sniffled once quietly. Blaine reached forward and took his hand. "Kurt," he said slowly, trying to compose himself. "I need you to believe me. I will _never_ let anything hurt you. I'm going to take you home and get you cleaned up, and then I'm going to figure out what you can eat, and then you are going to go to bed. I _will_ take care of you, Kurt. I swear it."

A small, hesitant smile lifted the corner of Kurt's mouth, and even though it was still a sad smile that didn't touch his eyes, it sent Blaine's heart flying. The smile was nothing and everything all at once. He gave Kurt's hand a small squeeze and stepped back, closing the door and quickly making his way to the driver's side of the car.

He turned on the car and cranked the heat as high as it would go. He was abruptly so thankful that he'd decided to take his own car instead of riding with his parents. They had gone to the auction to browse the selection and maybe buy someone to do the housework. The idea sickened him.

Blaine had insisted that he'd do the work. He washed dishes and cooked dinner most nights so that his parents would never even get the idea that they wanted a little help around the house. Hell, they weren't home enough to notice whether or not work got done.

Blaine had been so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't notice when Kurt fell asleep in the backseat until he heard a soft, faint snore. He looked in the rearview mirror just in time to see Kurt shift under the blankets, snuffling his nose against the makeshift pillow. He looked...comfortable.

-xXxXx-

"Kurt," Blaine said softly, leaning into the car. "Kurt, wake up. We're home." The other boy stirred beneath the blankets, his eyes fluttering open slowly. Blaine laughed lightly. "Hey. Good morning, sleepyhead." This time a different smile touched Kurt's face. It was a crooked little smile, a completely unguarded expression. Blaine didn't trust it to last. He knew that, as soon as Kurt woke up fully, his face would settle back into the nervous mask he had grown so accustomed to wearing. But Blaine's heart was sent into overdrive. "Did you sleep well?"

"Mmhm," Kurt hummed, rubbing his eyes, but when his eyes settled on Blaine, he suddenly straightened up and schooled his expression back into the mask. "S-Sorry."

Oh well, it had lasted longer than Blaine had expected. "Kurt, don't apologize. I'm glad you fell asleep. You need all the sleep you can get right now if you're going to get better. Okay?"  
Kurt just nodded, and Blaine sighed. "Come on. I want to get you inside. We'll run you a bath. You'll feel better after you get cleaned up. Ready?" Blaine asked, stretching his arms out as an invitation. Kurt nodded tentatively and reached to wrap his arms around Blaine's neck, unprompted.

Blaine kicked the car door closed behind them and bolted for the house. The blanket had fallen off Kurt's legs as Blaine lifted him, but it was only a short distance to the front door. He carried Kurt straight into the bathroom where the bath was already drawn. He had let Kurt sleep for a few minutes in the car while he got everything ready. He wanted everything to go as seamlessly as possible. He set the other boy down on the closed lid of the toilet seat and watched as his eyes darted around the room, a little more awake and appraising than they had been before.

"Lets get your shirt off so you can get in the tub. Wanna lift your arms up for me?" Kurt obliged and Blaine slid the shirt from his shoulders and put it directly in a shopping bag. Those clothes were never going to see the light of day again. He had half a mind to set them on fire right in the middle of the bathroom floor.

Blaine did his best not to look at Kurt without a shirt on, but he couldn't help it. He had to see just how bad it was. He could easily see all of Kurt's ribs and his hipbones poked out in a way that looked almost painful, his chest sunken. His entire chest was marred and dotted with ugly bruises in various stages of healing, some looking as recent as that day. His eyes drifted down Kurt's body to his legs. Dark, angry bruises marked up his thighs, and Blaine didn't even want to think about how they got there.

"Oh, Kurt," Blaine gasped sadly, bringing a hand to cover his mouth. He couldn't help it. He'd never seen anyone look as sick and broken as Kurt looked. The other boy cast his eyes to the floor and avoided Blaine's gaze.

Blaine relaxed his tense posture and reached out to Kurt. "Come on, can you try and stand up?"  
Kurt nodded and eased himself to his feet, only teetering a little. Standing, he was probably about four inches taller than Blaine. "Alright, I understand that this might be a little awkward, but I'm going to help you get your underwear off and get you into the tub."

He wondered idly if it would be as awkward for Kurt as it would be for him. He didn't want to think about how commonplace that it would be for a relative stranger to strip him of his clothes with much less than the kind words that Blaine had given him. He shook the thought. "Is that okay, Kurt?"

"Yes, that would be fine," Kurt answered gratefully, clearly following the same train of thought.

It was the most Blaine had heard him speak, and he found himself captivated by the way sentences would flow in his unique voice. Blaine realized quickly that he'd never heard another voice like it. Every word sounded like music. He was pulled from this thoughts by Kurt's voice again, hesitant now. "If—If it's not too forward, and I know it's not my place to ask questions, but what do I call you?" Kurt kept his eyes glued to the floor in a submissive gesture that would have to be forgotten.

Blaine reached out and tilted Kurt's chin up until their eyes met. "My name is Blaine Anderson."  
Kurt nodded in understanding, "Mr. Anderson, do you want me to get in the bath now?"  
"How old are you, Kurt?" Blaine asked, shaking his head profusely.  
The other boy cocked his head in confusion. "S-Seventeen...?"  
"Well, I'm only sixteen, which means that you're older than I am. So, I'm not a 'mister'. I'm just _Blaine_."

Kurt looked down blushing. " _Just Blaine_ ," the taller boy affirmed quietly, a shy smile gracing his features.  
"Just Blaine," Blaine repeated, returning Kurt's smile and enjoying the way the blush that colored his pale cheeks breathed new life into his face. "Do you want me to turn around so that you can take your underwear off?" Blaine asked, realizing as he said the words how ridiculous the act would be. He was going to have to help Kurt into the tub and help wash him, so he was going to see him naked.

"N-No," Kurt answered, his voice hesitant as though he wasn't used to answering questions like that. "Thank you though."

There were no words to describe the relief that Blaine felt over the fact that Kurt was talking. He felt like taking about random and ridiculous things just to keep Kurt talking. He slowly helped Kurt out of his underwear, pausing to toss them in the shopping bag beside the shirt and tying it up.

Careful not to betray the shaky trust that Kurt seemed to have placed in him, Blaine helped him into the tub without looking at anything that wasn't absolutely necessary. He handed Kurt a bar of soap and a washcloth, and he looked at it as though it was made of solid gold. Kurt's eyes flitted across the different products sitting on the ledges of the tub, his eyes landing on an expensive sounding French product that Blaine was pretty sure was some kind of face wash. "You can use anything that you want to."

Kurt's head spun quickly and his eyes met Blaine's. They looked almost hopeful. Blaine stood up from where he was kneeling beside the tub and went to dig under the sink to find his mother's shampoo. It had a name he couldn't pronounce, so he assumed it must be good. He knew for a fact that it was expensive. He held a bottle of shampoo in one hand and it's matching conditioner in the other. "Here," he said, smiling, handing them to Kurt. "I don't know what they are, but my mother bought them from the same boutique she got the face wash from."

Kurt reached out and took the bottles from Blaine's hands, his own slightly shaking as he read the labels. Blaine couldn't imagine what it felt like for Kurt knowing that the bottles of product he held in his hands cost ten times what Blaine had paid for him. "These are so expensive..." Kurt trailed off, his voice awestruck.  
"It's just shampoo, Kurt. You can use whatever you want. This is your house now, too. You won't have to use my mom's shampoo forever, I just...wasn't exactly expecting any of this..." Blaine cleared his throat. "I think we should wash your hair first so that we can drain and refill the tub and you won't have to wash your body with dirty water."

Blaine reached to his side and grabbed a tea pitcher, dunking it in the water behind Kurt. "Tip your head back." The other boy obliged quickly. Blaine put a hand on Kurt's forehead to keep water from running into his eyes and drenched his hair, the bathwater already turning a murky color from the dirt. Blaine looked around for the shampoo before noticing that Kurt still had it in his hand. "Shampoo?" Blaine asked, stretching out his flat palm. Kurt snapped open the bottle and put some in his hand. "Thank you."

He brought his hand to the boy's wet hair, massaging the shampoo into his scalp. A contented hum came from Kurt's throat. Once he was sure Kurt's hair was clean, he grabbed the pitcher again and rinsed out the soap. The bath water went from murky to almost opaque. Kurt stared sadly at the water that rippled around him. Blaine reached forward flipped the stopper switch, startling Kurt with the sound of water draining suddenly. "Sorry," Blaine apologized. "But, let's wash your hair again with the clean water from the tap while the water drains."

A smile lit up Kurt's face and he nodded his agreement.

By the time the water had completely drained from the tub, Kurt's hair was clean and Blaine was massaging in the conditioner as the tub filled. He rinsed it out and Kurt reached tentatively for the face wash on the ledge of the tub, his eyes flickering back to Blaine who nodded for him to continue. He squirted some of the soap into his palm and washed his face, rinsing it in the clean water. Blaine handed him a towel to dry his face.  
"Feel better?" Blaine asked, smiling.  
"You have _no_ idea," Kurt drawled. Blaine was ecstatic by the way Kurt's personality was starting to come out. He couldn't bring himself to respond, because he didn't want Kurt to second guess his words. It had been natural, and for that moment, Kurt didn't seem afraid.

Kurt dragged a sudsy cloth across his front, Blaine looking away when Kurt wanted to clean his more intimate areas. "Want me to get your back?" Blaine asked politely.  
"Sure." Kurt handed Blaine the washcloth. He soaped it up and dragged it across Kurt's back.

Blaine stared at the pale expanse of Kurt's back, his stomach doing a sick flip as he really surveyed the mark on the other boy's skin. In indelible red ink, in the center of his back, was the word REJECT written in all capital letters. It was in the very middle of his back, so that he wouldn't be able to wash it off himself. He'd been marked to be destroyed. The beautiful boy had been slated to die. The thought hit Blaine again like a wrecking ball.

He found himself scrubbing a little too hard at the mark. He wanted it gone. It needed to be gone. Nothing should be marking the pale, flawless skin, especially something as vulgar as REJECT.

The bruises that stretched across Kurt's shoulder blades and spine were bad enough. Horrible. To have a word branded onto your skin in permanent marker was like adding insult to injury. Kurt must have realized what Blaine was doing because he didn't flinch away from the cloth that was rubbing his skin almost raw.

Blaine was suddenly pulled from his concentration by Kurt's small and sheepish voice. "Will it—Will it come off?"

He stopped scrubbing and surveyed Kurt's back, realizing for the first time just how hard he had been scrubbing. The pale skin flamed an angry red color and looked a bit raw. The mark was almost gone, but the word could still be read. Blaine sighed deeply and apologized. "I'm sorry, Kurt. I got carried away."  
Kurt kept his eyes cast to his knees, wrapping his arms around them and pulling them closer to his chest. "It's okay."

"Wait," Blaine said quickly, standing up and walking to the medicine cabinet, returning with a bottle of baby oil. "This should get rid of the last of it, and I won't have to scrub anymore. But that mark absolutely has to go."  
Kurt's expression was confused, obviously not used to anyone caring for him in this way. "Why? It doesn't hurt..."  
"Yes, it does, Kurt. It may not hurt you physically the way these bruises do, but it _does_ hurt you. No one should ever feel as though they're worthless. You are not a reject, Kurt."

Kurt's voice was tiny when he finally responded. "Yes. I am. I'm not strong enough to work anymore. That's why Mr. William marked me. I dropped his plate on the floor."  
"Why did you drop the plate, Kurt?"  
"I don't remember dropping it. I remember carrying his dinner to the table and feeling really dizzy. The next thing I remember was being pulled into the shed." He rubbed at a fresh bruise on his arm unconsciously, and Blaine couldn't help but think that he had just learned where it had come from.  
"You passed out?" Blaine asked, rubbing the baby oil into the ink on Kurt's skin.

"I-I guess so," Kurt answered softly.  
"How long had it been since you'd eaten?"  
Kurt just shrugged his shoulders.

He had been marked as a reject, because he collapsed out of hunger. Blaine looked down to realize that he was gripping the bottle of baby oil so hard that his knuckles were beginning to protest. He hated the slave trade. He hated the whole goddamned system. He hated whoever had put Kurt in rotation to begin with and he hated whoever owned him last.

"Kurt," Blaine prompted. "Look at me."

When Kurt met his gaze, he continued. "You are not a reject. You dropped that plate because you were starving. Damn it, you're still starving, but you're going to get better. I'm going to help you. It's over, now, Kurt. The beatings, going to bed hungry, being afraid, and _God_ knows what else has been done to you, it's all over now. You're safe. I'll never hurt you."

He couldn't fight the urge to lean forward and wrap his arms around Kurt's shoulders, effectively soaking the front of his shirt. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered except reassuring the broken, beautiful boy that he was going to be okay. That, one day, it was going to be alright.

Kurt flinched away at first, his eyes darting and nervous, but he slowly relaxed. With his hand on Kurt's back, Blaine could feel when the sobs started. Blaine pulled away quickly to avoid making the situation worse, but he could swear he felt Kurt tug on the arm of his shirt just a little in an attempt to keep him there. "Kurt, what's the matter?"  
"No one—The last person who-" his voice cracked and broke in odd places.

"I'm sorry," Blaine apologized fervently. "I didn't mean to upset you."  
"No, I'm not upset," Kurt said, wiping his eyes and doing his best to calm the wracking sobs that shook his frame. The outpouring seemed to have caught him by surprise as well. "The last person who hugged me was my father. It's been so long." Another couple tears fell from Kurt's eyes.

"I'm sorry." Blaine wasn't totally sure what he was apologizing for, but it seemed like the thing to say. He reached behind himself and grabbed a towel, holding it open for Kurt. "Ready to get out?"  
Kurt nodded and tried to stand up. The deep bruises on his legs seemed to be making it a difficult task. Blaine reached forward and wrapped his arm around the other boy's middle, helping him to his feet.

"Here, I've got these for you. They're going to be huge on you, but it's the best I've got for now." Blaine held up a pair of red plaid pajama pants that were a little too long on him and a soft grey t-shirt. "But these," he started, grabbing a pack of underwear. "These should fit you alright. My mom never learned what size I wear, so she always buys them about two sizes too small."

Kurt took the offered clothing with a 'thank you'. Blaine rubbed his hand idly at the back of his neck, feeling suddenly awkward. "So, I'll step out so that you can get dressed." Kurt nodded and Blaine went to stand outside the door.

What in the hell was he going to do. He had no idea how to take care of another person. He had been used to taking care of himself since Cooper moved out, but he had no idea how he was going to help Kurt.

He steeled himself. The need burned inside of him, and he knew that it was something that he had to do. He would figure it out even if it took forever. Kurt needed to be safe.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Blaine was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of the bathroom door creaking open. Kurt stood in the doorway, and as Blaine saw him, his mouth fell open, his breath leaving him in a gasp. The difference between the boy that Blaine had found on the dirty blankets and this new Kurt was incredible.

Kurt had taken a second to messily style his wet hair. The way the light flooded behind him made him look as though he could have been carved from marble. The clothes Blaine had given him hung loosely on his slender frame. The pants were just the right length, but the drawstring was pulled tight to keep them from falling off his hips.

Blaine was speechless. Absolutely speechless. He hadn't realized that he'd been staring until he saw Kurt begin to shrink in on himself.

Desperate to keep Kurt from retreating back inside his own mind, Blaine spoke. "D-Did you find the toothbrush I left on the counter for you?"  
Kurt nodded, shifting his weight awkwardly. "Yes, sir—Blaine," Kurt corrected nervously.  
"Good," Blaine said, nodding. "Are you hungry?"  
Again, Kurt just nodded.

Blaine helped Kurt to the kitchen and settled him into a chair before busying himself in cupboards, looking for something, anything, to feed Kurt that would be suitable for his stomach. "I texted my parents while you were getting ready and told them you were here."  
Kurt looked up at Blaine, his eyes terrified.  
"Don't worry. I won't let them hurt you. You're safe."

Blaine set down a small bowl of tomato soup and half a piece of toast on a plate in front of Kurt. "Eat slowly, okay? I'm sorry that I don't have anything better, I just-"  
He broke off as he saw the way Kurt was staring at the food. His eyes were wide and awed. They darted from the food to Blaine's face.

He handed Kurt a spoon. He took it with a shaky hand, his eyes locked with Blaine's. Kurt slowly dipped it into the bowl, watching as the liquid filled the spoon. Cautiously, he lifted it toward his mouth, but his shaky hand dropped the spoon, the metallic clatter echoing loudly in the silent kitchen.

All of a sudden, Kurt covered his ears and threw himself out of his chair, landing harshly on his knees, pleading, as he picked up the spoon, a constant stream of _sorry_ pouring from his mouth. Blaine sat frozen for a second, completely in shock. A wave of sadness washed through him as he saw Kurt trembling, his hands covering his face, clearly awaiting some sort of punishment.

Blaine dropped to his knees beside Kurt, taking the spoon from his hand and setting it back on the table. "Kurt." No answer. "Kurt." Nothing. Blaine raised his voice slightly, reaching forward and gripping Kurt's shoulders. " _Kurt!_ " He regretted the tone instantly, but it got the other boy's attention.

"I-I'm sorry. I made a mess. I didn't mean to. I'm sorry." The words came out in a sad, quiet rush, his eyes were darting and terrified.  
"Kurt, calm down. It's okay," he soothed, pulling the other boy's hands away from his head and gripping them tightly in his own. "It's okay. _You're_ okay."

Kurt looked up and met Blaine's gaze, his blue eyes brimming with tears, body still trembling. "I-I'll clean it up, Blaine. I'm sorry. You've been so good to me, and I go and do something like-"  
"You didn't do anything wrong, and you're not going to clean anything up," Blaine said, standing up and helping Kurt to his feet. "What you're going to do is sit down and eat your dinner before it gets ice cold." He guided Kurt back into his chair, rubbing a hand across the top of the other boy's arm. "I'll get you a new spoon. Why don't you eat a little bit of the toast for now." Blaine gestured to the small plate.

Blaine crossed the kitchen to grab another spoon, pausing to toss the dirty one in the sink and grab a dishcloth. He set the clean spoon down on the table and ducked to clean up the small splatter of red on the floor, tossing the cloth into the sink and dropping down in a chair. "How is it?"

Kurt was chewing a bite of toast carefully, a thoughtful expression on his face. He swallowed quickly. "Very good. Thank you." The answer was too automatic. Too practiced.

"Do you like tomato soup?" Blaine asked, his expression screwing up in concern. "Kurt, if you don't like something, tell me. I'm sure I could find something else."  
"No, this is fine, really," Kurt said, his voice still nervous but sounding genuine enough.  
"Okay. But, Kurt, _please_ , if there's ever anything that I give you that you don't want, you don't have to eat it. You will never go hungry here. I'll make you something else."

Kurt watched Blaine's face as he spoke, obviously looking for signs that he was trying to trick him in some way. Blaine tried not to notice Kurt's appraising eyes on him. He pressed on, asking, "Okay?" He needed Kurt to know that he had a choice. Always.

The other boy nodded, turning his attention back to his food, his expression still thoughtful as he dunked the toast in his soup and took a bite. Blaine felt awkward sitting and watching someone else eat, so he decided to try to get Kurt talking again. "Can you tell me about yourself?"

Kurt looked up at Blaine, confused. "About _me_?" He asked, surprised. He looked as though no one had ever asked him about himself before. _Oh,_ Blaine realized quickly. _No one probably ever_ had _asked about himself before._ Not in this way at least.  
"Yeah, tell me about yourself. I don't even know your last name." Blaine laughed, a short, quiet sound as he realized the truth of his words.  
"Hummel," Kurt said quietly. "Kurt Hummel."

Blaine realized that he wanted to do this right. This wasn't the way people introduced themselves. "Okay, let's try it this way," Blaine said, affixing a smile to his face. He stuck his arm out toward Kurt. "Hi, I'm Blaine Anderson."  
The other boy eyed the hand apprehensively for a second before reaching out to take it, a small smile touching his face. "Kurt Hummel," he said, his voice a little louder than Blaine had heard it.  
"Well, Kurt Hummel, it's nice to meet you," Blaine answered, voice cheerful in an over-dramatic way as he shook the other boy's hand.

Kurt's free hand suddenly flashed to his mouth to stifle a quick fit of giggles. If Blaine had thought that Kurt's voice sounded like music, it was nothing but a discordant cacophony compared to the sound of his laugh. The sound warmed Blaine all the way down to the tips of his toes. A light blush colored the other boy's cheeks.

"Your laugh..." Blaine blurted out in an awed breath, shaking his head lightly. He had no idea what the end of that thought was.

Kurt quickly worked to school his expression into something more serious, and Blaine kicked himself for calling attention to it. He made a mental note for later.  
"I'm sorry," Kurt apologized, his voice tinged with sadness.  
"No. No, Kurt. Don't apologize. I meant that I _like_ your laugh," Blaine said quickly. "It sounds like bells."  
Kurt's face flushed again, the color reaching the tips of his ears.

Blaine suddenly realized that Kurt's hand was still held inside his own, so he brought his thumb to slide along the top of Kurt's hand. "I just—I like that I made you laugh. You should laugh more." Blaine cast his eyes toward the table, his voice taking on a sad reality. "I know you haven't had much reason to laugh lately, but...I'd like you to be happy here."

Kurt's eyes fell to where Blaine held his hand. Even in the silence of the room, if Blaine hadn't been listening closely, he wouldn't have heard Kurt speak, his voice brimming with sadness. "Why are you doing this?"  
Blaine's eyes flashed toward Kurt's face. "Why am I doing what?"  
"Why are you being so nice to me? It's not like you have to. I just can't figure out why you're doing this," Kurt answered in a sad sigh.

Blaine's heart broke as he heard Kurt's voice crack around the words. Kurt was trying to figure out Blaine's _angle_. He could feel the tears welling up in his own eyes, and he squeezed Kurt's hand.

"I know you don't believe me right now, Kurt, but I'm doing this because you deserve it. You deserve to have someone treat you with kindness and basic human dignity, because _goddamn it, Kurt,_ you are a human being and you matter just as much as anyone else. Everyone deserves to be able to take a hot bath and eat three meals a day. I hate that everyone has made you doubt that, Kurt." Blaine's voice turned disgusted. "I hate that I can't offer you food without you thinking I'm trying to trick you."

Kurt sat frozen, his wide eyes locked on Blaine's face. Blaine had one of Kurt's hands held between both of his own as he stared meaningfully into Kurt's startlingly blue eyes, willing the other boy to believe his words. "Kurt, I just need you to know that, no matter what anyone else has done to you, I am not trying to trick you. I will _never_ hurt you. I know this may be hard for you, but I just need you to trust me, okay?"  
Kurt swallowed thickly and nodded.

"Do you trust me?" Blaine asked softly, his voice threatening to break.

He watched Kurt's eyes appraise his face with a thoughtful expression, watched the corner of Kurt's mouth twitch downward as he thought. Finally, slowly, Kurt nodded and answered in a soft voice. "Yes. I trust you."

They were silent as Kurt finished the last of his small portion of soup. Blaine took the bowl to the sink and came back with a glass of water, handing it to Kurt. "Thank you," Kurt said gratefully, tipping the glass to his lips. He started coughing again before he could even take a drink. Blaine quickly took the glass from Kurt's hand, before it could spill, and set it on the table.

Kurt wrapped his arms around his chest as though he was trying to hold himself together, his face screwed up in pain as the coughs wracked his weak body. Blaine leaned forward and rubbed a hand across the other boy's back, feeling the coughs rattling painfully in Kurt's lungs. "It's going to be okay. I'm going to call the doctor first thing Monday morning and we'll get you in as soon as possible."

Blaine carded his fingers through Kurt's hair in an attempt to comfort him. He knew it wasn't actually making him feel better, but he had to be doing something. He felt helpless. He was afraid for a moment that Kurt was coughing so hard that, if it continued for much longer, he would throw up the contents of his stomach. Thankfully, however, the coughing slowly subsided. Kurt was left gasping. Blaine leaned forward and brought his hand to Kurt's upper arm, rubbing it across his bicep, handing him the glass of water and watching as he quickly drank down a few gulps. Blaine took the glass before he could drink too much, still worried about the effect too much water would have on his system. "Would you feel better if you were lying down?"

Kurt nodded weakly and Blaine helped him to his feet, unsettled by the way Kurt wobbled when he stood. "Can I carry you? We've got to go upstairs and I don't think you'd do too well on your own." Kurt slowly reached in front of himself and wrapped his arms around Blaine's neck in silent permission. "Thank you, Kurt." Blaine reached down and scooped Kurt up in what was becoming a practiced motion.

He felt Kurt's head resting against the crook of his neck and realized that the other boy had been a lot more tired than he'd let on. He carried Kurt quietly into his bedroom and set him down gently on the bed. "We don't really have a guest room. My parents turned Cooper's room into storage after he moved out, so you're going to have to share my room for now. I'll get the guest room all cleaned out so that you can move in there, but this is sorta the best I can do right now. I'm sorry."

Kurt's eyes surveyed the room in silent awe. Blaine continued to ramble. "So...um...why don't you go ahead and make yourself comfortable while I go get the cot for you." The other boy nodded and Blaine walked to the storage room to find Kurt's bed. He had to fight with it for a while to try and dislodge it from where it was trapped between four boxes of Christmas decorations. Finally, he got it loose and pushed it toward his bedroom.

As soon as he crossed the threshold, he saw that Kurt had in fact made himself comfortable. He had fallen asleep lying on the big bed, his head resting on a pillow and his knees pulled up tight. Blaine smiled to himself and quietly pushed the cot the rest of the way inside. He took a blanket that was draped over the back of his computer chair and spread it out over Kurt's sleeping body.

He took advantage of the lull in activity to work on some homework, doing his best not to think about what his parent's reaction was going to be to seeing that he'd brought home a reject. Blaine bristled at the word.

He'd sent a message to his parents saying that he'd bought a slave and that he was taking him home. They'd been overjoyed that he'd come around to seeing the value in buying someone to do housework and _other things_.

His father had told him the story many times before about his first slave, a teenaged girl named Anna. Over their father-son _bonding_ moments (such as they were), he'd regaled Blaine with stories about how she had a "talented mouth" and "mile long legs". Blaine had tried to repress his disgust and just let his father brag about how, by the time he'd gotten done with her, they couldn't sell her to anyone else because she was all worn out.

Blaine heard the tip snap off his pencil and realized just how hard he'd been pressing it into the paper. He let it drop into his open math book and leaned back in his chair, dragging his hands through his curls with a sigh.

He remembered what his father had once said when Cooper was fifteen and wanted to help a slave he'd found by the side of the road. "Son, we're Andersons. And, as Andersons, we've got a name to protect. We can't have people thinking we'll let just any old trash into our home. He's a reject, Cooper. Just leave him. He's useless. The department will take care of him. We can't have something like that tarnishing our name."

Blaine glanced at Kurt's sleeping form, watching his chest rise and fall with each breath, his face finally relaxed with sleep, and couldn't imagine ever thinking that he was useless. Could a human being ever be worthless? According to the law in the state of Ohio, if a slave can no longer perform their tasks to satisfaction, they are considered useless and therefore obsolete. Useless slaves are put to death to prevent them from becoming a burden on society.

His eyes flickered back to Kurt and his stomach dropped as he realized that, had he not bought him, Kurt would be dead right now. If he hadn't noticed the subtle movement on the bundle of blankets, the boy sleeping peacefully in his bed wouldn't exist anymore. The thought moved Blaine to tears. He covered his mouth in an attempt to muffle the sob that slipped out. It was too much. He needed some sort of reassurance, so he stood up and crossed the room to sit on the edge of his bed.

Kurt was alive. Kurt was warm and breathing. Blaine brought his fingers to card through the sleeping boy's hair. He took a deep breath to steady himself before standing up and going back to his desk, dropping down heavily in his chair. He took a deep breath. Life had to go on. Kurt was safe now. He was going to get better. Blaine reminded himself to breathe, because no matter how his parents reacted, no matter what happened, Kurt was alive.

He put his head down on the desk in the cradle of his arms, shut his eyes tightly, and willed his headache to go away.

-xXxXx-

He must have fallen asleep, because he was suddenly jarred into reality by the sound of a terrified scream. He shoved his chair back and stood up, momentarily confused. It slowly started to come back to him. He was in his room. Kurt was asleep in his bed.

He quickly went to the side of the bed where Kurt was thrashing weakly under the blanket, murmuring scared little sounds as his hands covered his face defensively. Blaine sat down next to him and rubbed a hand across his arm. Kurt's whole body was trembling. Blaine had never seen anyone look so restless while sleeping.

Kurt screamed again. " _Stop!_!" The cry was shrill and broken. It pierced through Blaine's body like a knife. He was sure he couldn't begin to imagine the dream Kurt was having or the memory he was reliving. Kurt whimpered quietly and curled further in on himself. "Please, don't..." The words where choked and quiet. Blaine couldn't take anymore.

"Hey," he said softly, rubbing Kurt's arm again. "Kurt, wake up."

The other boy's eyes flew open and he tried to sit up immediately, wincing as the movement caused him pain. He flinched away and suddenly dissolved into tears. Blaine leaned forward and wrapped his arms around the scared boy, sliding his hand across Kurt's back, whispering soothing nonsense in his ear.

"You're okay, Kurt. I've got you. You're okay."  
"I defied your order," Kurt sobbed. "You've been so good to me and I didn't even listen-"  
"Kurt, what are you talking about?" Blaine asked, confused.  
"I fell asleep on your bed." He said the words bitterly, obviously angry at himself. "I've never even had an owner who gave me my own bed before and I go and do something like this."

Blaine shook his head profusely, rubbing Kurt's arm in a desperate attempt to calm him."You didn't do anything wrong, Kurt. It's okay. I promise. Don't worry about it." Blaine squeezed Kurt a little tighter, mindful of where his bruises were. He felt Kurt's head rest against his shoulder.

"Do you want to tell me what you were dreaming about?" Blaine asked, even though he didn't think he really wanted to know.

The other boy took a deep, shaky breath before answering.

"My first owner," he said sadly. "He...he wasn't _good_ like you are. He was very bad." Kurt shook his head as he pulled away, casting his eyes to his lap.  
"Why did you get sent to him. I mean...what put you in circulation?" Blaine asked, taking Kurt's hand.

Kurt's voice was sad and quiet when he finally answered Blaine.

"My mother died when I was nine, so I was raised by my dad. I was in class one day and the school councilor came and pulled me into her office. A man from the Department of Worker's Affairs was waiting. They told me that my father had a heart attack and that I was now property of the Department. They took me out of school and I went straight to my first owner."

"Just like that?" Blaine asked, stunned.  
"Just like that," Kurt affirmed flatly.

"God, I can't imagine just having your life uprooted like that," Blaine's voice was distant and thoughtful.  
"I think the worst part about being put into circulation was that I had no idea what to expect. My dad was like you. We never owned a worker. So, I didn't know what was going to happen," Kurt said quietly, his eyes still cast to the blanket.  
Before he could stop himself, Blaine blurted out, "Were you scared?"

Kurt looked up to meet his eyes. His voice was low and sad. "I'm always scared."  
Blaine dropped his gaze to where he held Kurt's hand on the blanket. "Are you scared now?"

Kurt worried his lip between his teeth, thinking, before shaking his head lightly. "No."

Blaine lifted his gaze back to Kurt's eyes. "Good, because you don't have to be. I want you to be happy here, Kurt. I'm going to do everything I can to make sure you get better." He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Kurt's shoulders again, squeezing with new found purpose. "You don't have to be scared anymore."

The sound of the front door being slammed closed made both boys jump. His mother's voice called from the foot of the stairs. " _Blaine!_ "  
"I'm upstairs, mom. I'll be down in a second," Blaine called back.

He pulled out of the hug. "Why don't you lie back down and try and go back to sleep?"  
"I-In _your_ bed?" Kurt asked, his voice awed.  
"Well, you seemed so comfortable before." Blaine gave him a quick smile and patted his hand. "Just rest. You need all the sleep you can get if you want to get better." He squeezed Kurt's hand lightly and stood up. "Goodnight, Kurt."  
A small smile touched Kurt's face. "Goodnight, Blaine."


	3. Chapter 3

Blaine left the door open as he walked out of the room. He made his way down stairs, surprised that he didn't find his mother waiting in the living room. "Mom?"  
"In the kitchen, sweetheart!"  
He padded into the kitchen and dropped down into the same chair he'd sat in earlier.

His mother turned around from where she stood at the sink and walked over to the table with two cups of tea, setting one down in front of Blaine and herself.  
"Sweetie, we didn't bring you home anything from the restaurant, because we figured you'd have already eaten. I hope that's okay."  
"Yeah, that's fine. I already ate," he lied. He hadn't wanted to eat in front of Kurt. He was also grateful that his parents hadn't brought anything home, because he didn't want the smell to go wafting upstairs. It seemed wrong to tease a starving person with food they can't have.

"So, where's the worker you bought?" she asked, taking a sip of her tea.  
"Oh, he's upstairs, asleep."  
His mother furrowed her brow. "Sleeping? God, I hope you got a good price on him," she laughed at her own humor and Blaine feigned a smile, lifting his cup to his lips.  
"Here's the thing, mom," Blaine started. "He's not exactly what you're expecting."

The older woman cocked her head to the side. "What do you mean, dear?"  
"Well..." Blaine set down his cup and folded his hands. "When I bought him, he was a—a reject."  
"Blaine," His mother chastised sternly. "Why on Earth would you waste your money on a reject. They are useless. Don't you remember what your father said?"

Blaine nodded slowly. "But Kurt's not useless. He's just sick. They were going to kill him because he dropped a plate."  
His mother shrugged as though she failed to see the point of Blaine's argument.

He was about to open his mouth to press the issue when he heard a thudding _bang_ and his father shouting from upstairs. He shoved his chair away from the table and ran for his bedroom.

"What in the _hell_ do you think you're doing?" His father screamed at Kurt, gripping his bicep harshly. Kurt was on his knees by the side of the bed, the blanket hanging off the mattress. His father shook Kurt's arm, making his whole body jerk like a rag doll.

"Dad! Stop!" Blaine yelled, running into the room. "Stop!"

He wrenched Kurt's arm free of his father's grasp and pulled him to his feet. The taller boy's entire body was shaking and his eyes were cast submissively to the floor.

"He was sleeping in your bed, Blaine!" His father shouted, pointing angrily at the bed. "Why were you in his bed, boy?"  
"B-Blaine said that it was okay," he said quietly. His voice sounded terrified.

Suddenly, Mr. Anderson's hand flew out and slapped Kurt hard across the face, sending him sprawling to the ground. Blaine lurched forward and shoved his father away, dropping to his knees next to Kurt. He wanted to reassure him that everything was okay, but he knew there was no way he could do that with his father in the room. "Why would you do that?" Blaine bit out angrily.

"Did you hear what he called you? No wonder he was marked! He has no respect! I remember this one from the auction. I saw him get marked. You brought home a reject." He pulled his foot back as though he was about to kick the boy kneeling on the floor, but Blaine jumped forward and shoved his father sideways, nearly sending him toppling onto the bed.

"Stop!" Blaine shouted, stepping in front of Kurt protectively. "I told him to sleep on the bed and I told him to call me Blaine." Blaine could feel his hands shaking with rage. "I bought him and I say that he's not to be hit. Don't touch him. If he does something you don't like, you come to me. He's mine. Not yours."

His father straightened up, fixing his rumpled shirt. Anger flashed in his eyes but tried to relax his voice into something almost conversational, coming up just short. "Why did you buy this one? I understand that you're gay, Blaine. I don't like it, but I get it. But, you could do so much better than this one." He gestured disgustedly at Kurt.

"I didn't buy him for that. I'm not like you, dad," Blaine snapped, eager to have this conversation over so that he could assess the damage that his father had inflicted on whatever shaky progress Kurt had been making. "Will you leave now, please?"  
The man sighed and turned to leave. His voice was disappointed. "I don't get you, Blaine. Your brother, I understood, but I just don't understand you."

Blaine ignored the comment, standing up to close the door behind his father, before rushing back to Kurt's side. "You're okay. I'm so sorry, Kurt."

Kurt was silent, his face buried in his hands. His entire body was trembling. The silence was deafening and Blaine couldn't take it for another second.

He dropped down to his knees in front of Kurt. "Hey, look at me,"

Sad blue eyes connected with Blaine's and he felt his heart break as he realized, _this_ is what Kurt is used to. He's used to being treated like he's worthless and unwanted. He's used to be roughly yanked out of a peaceful sleep to be abused. The thought made Blaine's stomach lurch. "He won't hurt you anymore, Kurt. I promise. He's gone."

The other boy lifted his head and Blaine could see the perfectly formed handprint on Kurt's right cheek, Blaine reached forward and wrapped his arm around Kurt's shaking shoulders, resting his hand gingerly against the angry red mark on the other boy's cheek. "Come on, Kurt. Stand up. Let's go sit on the bed, okay?"

Blaine helped Kurt to his feet and steered him to the bed. "Sit here for a second. I'm going to get something cold to put on your cheek."  
Kurt nodded against Blaine's palm, his face still stoic and flat.

Blaine hurried back with a cool washcloth. He pressed it against Kurt's cheek. "Does that feel better?"  
"Y-Yes, sir," Kurt said softly. "Thank you."  
"Kurt, I'm not a _sir_ , I'm just Blaine, remember?" He tried his best to keep his voice even, soothing.  
Kurt looked down again. "I'm sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?" Blaine asked, exasperated.

Tears formed in Kurt's eyes and he lifted his head to meet Blaine's gaze. He looked completely lost and genuinely terrified. "I don't know," he choked out, his voice hitching as tears began to fall. His entire body shook with sadness and fear.

Blaine felt as though the wind had been knocked out of him. He and his father had never gotten along. They'd never seen eye to eye on anything, especially treatment of slaves, but right now Blaine hated the man. It was all he could do to keep his breathing even, even if his hands were shaking, and be calm for Kurt.

He inhaled a deep breath through his nose and took the cool cloth from Kurt's cheek, setting it down on the bed beside him. He kept his voice soft but there was an undercurrent of a fervent promise. "Kurt, it's going to be okay. He won't hurt you anymore. It's over." He leaned forward and Kurt all but fell into his arms, allowing himself to be comforted. No matter what had happened, at least it seemed that Kurt still trusted Blaine not to hurt him.

Blaine put a hand on the back of Kurt's head and soothed him as though he was a child, murmuring soothing nonsense in his hear and gently rocking him. He didn't know what else to do, because in that moment, Kurt seemed as vulnerable as a scared little boy. He was relieved to feel Kurt's body relax slightly in his arms. Blaine just heard himself whispering, "You're okay. I've got you. I've got you."

He wasn't sure who needed to hear the words more, Kurt or himself.

Blaine finally released Kurt after his sobs had quieted. Kurt's eyes were still nervous, darting around the room as though he didn't trust the peace to last. The angry red mark on his cheek was already starting to bruise. By tomorrow there would definitely be finger shaped bruises marking the pale skin of Kurt's face. The thought made Blaine sick. He debated going to get an ice pack, but he knew it wouldn't do much good. He felt helpless again.

"I'm really sorry, Kurt," he said truthfully, his voice low and sad.  
"It's okay. I'm used to it," Kurt answered softly. He sniffled once and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.  
"Just because you're used to it doesn't make it _okay_. I'm still sorry," Blaine muttered, turning his head to shoot a withering glance at his door as though his father was still standing there.  
"Why?" Kurt asked. His face screwed up in confusion.  
"Why what?" Blaine was confused by Kurt's confusion.

"Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything." Kurt said, cocking his head to the side a bit.

Blaine's mouth opened and closed dumbly; he couldn't think of anything to say. Kurt continued. "You tried to _help_ me. N-No one's ever done that before."  
"What?" Blaine asked, shocked. His eyes flashed to Kurt's face. There was some sort of calmness there, a resolve that Blaine didn't quite understand.  
"When your father hit me, you pushed him away. You made him stop. No one has ever done that before."

"I promised that I'd keep you safe. I said that you wouldn't be hurt anymore, and you got hurt," Blaine mumbled, angry with himself. He had betrayed Kurt's trust. He hadn't been able to stop his father from hurting him like he'd promised. He'd let Kurt down.  
"You didn't know he was hurting me," Kurt said, shaking his head lightly. "You were downstairs. You didn't see him hit me." A fresh wave of anger flared inside of Blaine. He hadn't known that his father had hit Kurt before he'd come upstairs. "As soon as he hit me, you stopped him. You _did_ keep me safe, Blaine."

A small smile touched Kurt's face. It didn't quite reach his eyes, but it was reassuring all the same.

"I promise that I'll _always_ keep you safe. I'll be better than I was today. I swear," Blaine promised.

The words prompted another soft smile from Kurt. "I believe you."

Blaine smiled and reached forward to give Kurt's hand a gentle squeeze. "Thank you, Kurt."  
"Thank you? For what?" Kurt asked, his eyebrows knitting together as though he was having a hard time processing the words, as though they were foreign. Blaine sighed as he once again realized that they probably were.  
He gave Kurt's hand another squeeze. "Just, thank you."

Kurt tentatively squeezed Blaine's hand in return, still not seeming completely comfortable returning any sort of gesture of kindness. Blaine could see in Kurt's eyes that he wanted to believe that all of this was real, but he just couldn't bring himself to accept it. He just looked as though he was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Blaine knew there was nothing that he was going to be able to say to get Kurt to truly understand that it wasn't a trick. He saw it in the way Kurt looked at him when he handed him the shampoo, when he set the food down in front of him, and even now as Kurt was squeezing his hand. He wanted to believe that it was all real, but there was always that spark of cynicism that never seemed to fade.

He could see it in the way Kurt watched him. He was waiting for the niceness to fall away like a pretense, waiting for Blaine to drop the "act" and treat him just as his other owners had treated him. There was nothing he was going to be able to do to convince Kurt that it wasn't going to happen. Only time would make him believe it. Blaine just knew he had to be patient.

He released Kurt's hand and stood up, not sure where he planned to go. He watched Kurt's eyes follow him and felt obligated to break the silence. "What do you like to do?"  
Kurt looked completely confused, so Blaine tried again.

"Do you like to read or play video games or...?" He trailed off awkwardly. He had no idea what Kurt had been allowed to do at his other homes. Probably not very much, he guessed.

"I like to read," Kurt said simply.

Blaine hurried out of the room, going into the bathroom to grab a stack of magazines. He hoped that at least _one_ of them appealed to Kurt. He closed the door behind him as he entered his room, walking forward to set the small stack of magazines on the bed next to Kurt. "We don't have much. I don't know what you like, so I brought everything." Blaine heard himself rambling but didn't seem to be able to stop. "There's Field and Stream, People, Time, and I think my mom has a Vogue in there somewhere."

Kurt's eyes lit up as he reached down and pawed through the stack. He didn't know what had captured Kurt's attention. "Is there anything in there you like?"

He asked, half to keep Kurt talking and half because he was desperate to get some sort of handle on Kurt's personality. Kurt glanced up toward his face as he pulled a magazine out of the stack. It was a copy of Vogue magazine that had to be at least six months old. His mother had canceled that subscription ages ago.

"You like fashion?" Blaine asked conversationally.  
Kurt nodded, unable to tear his eyes away from the tattered cover of the magazine. He opened his mouth as though he was going to speak but closed it quickly. Blaine prompted him to go on, so he sighed and said, "When I was in high school, I designed all the costumes for my school's glee club. I considered it as a career before everything happened."

"You were in show choir? What high school did you go to?" Blaine wondered, curious if he'd ever competed against Kurt's school.  
"McKinley High, in Lima," Kurt said, distracted, opening the magazine.

He was pretty sure they'd competed at Regionals. The Warblers had won. Blaine shuddered as he remembered overhearing the other choir's coach lamenting over their loss and blaming it on losing their countertenor. The Warbler's victory seemed almost bittersweet now. He made a mental note to do a search for McKinley's performances on YouTube later.

Kurt was sitting awkwardly on the bed reading. He hadn't moved since Blaine had come back in the room. "Kurt, you can make yourself comfortable. This is your room now, too." He wanted to be completely clear. "You can sit anywhere, touch anything, and do anything you want. It's all yours too. You don't have to ask."  
Inquisitive blue eyes flickered up from the magazine toward his face.  
"I mean it, Kurt. Really, make yourself comfortable. I'm just going to go over here and practice." He gestured to the piano in the corner of his bedroom.

Kurt kept his eyes locked with Blaine's as he slowly slid back against the headboard of the bed and stretched his legs out in front of him, setting the magazine on his lap. Blaine smiled to see that Kurt at least looked like he was relaxed. For the moment.

Blaine crossed his room and dropped down onto his piano bench, stretching his fingers before placing them on the keys. He let his fingers move of their own accord, playing his favorite nocturne. Something about the somber sound calmed him. It always did. The sound drifted through the room and Blaine suddenly felt eyes on him.

He took his hands off the keys and turned around. Kurt was staring, wide-eyed.

Blaine smiled at Kurt as he slid off the bench and walked back toward his unfinished homework. As much as he wanted to play, he just couldn't center himself enough to concentrate. He flicked on his desk lamp and sat down in his chair, leaning over his math book with a sigh. He was about halfway through the second problem when he heard Kurt scoff. The sound was so out of place that he looked up. Kurt was covering his mouth and shaking his head lightly.

As soon as he saw Blaine looking, he schooled his expression into something more neutral. It seemed to be a defense mechanism he'd developed in order to draw less attention to himself. It would have to be forgotten as well. Eager to be distracted from his homework, Blaine decided to press the issue. "What's the matter?"

Kurt shook his head, glancing back down at the magazine. "Nothing," he mumbled.  
"Well, it was obviously something," Blaine joked, standing up and switching off the lamp.

He took the few necessary steps to make it to his bed and sat down, sliding up until he was sitting next to Kurt. He glanced down to the man on the page. He was muscular, but he looked flaky and pretentious. He looked very much like he belonged in Vogue magazine, but nothing about the image seemed particularly _offensive_. Blaine wondered what Kurt had seen that made him scoff like that. "Don't you like his outfit?"

Kurt glanced up toward Blaine's face, obviously fighting against his desire to begin ticking off all the things he found fault with. From the look in his eyes, it was quite a list. Blaine rubbed his hand across Kurt's upper arm as in invitation to continue. Kurt sighed deeply and sat up straighter, crossing his legs. He pointed to the page, his finger poking against the model's shoulders. "See how broad his shoulders are?"  
Blaine nodded.  
"Okay, they've got the fabric _way_ too loose. It does nothing to accent his shoulders." He clicked his tongue in disapproval. "And, I hate the cut of those pants. It makes him look like he's in the navy or something. Why would they dress him like that?"

Blaine smiled as Kurt ranted. He didn't say anything, just listening to the words pour, unguarded, from the other boy's mouth. He made a mental note to stop by the drugstore tomorrow and pick up the latest copy of Vogue. Blaine mentally calculated how much a subscription would cost, quickly deciding that the cost didn't matter.

Kurt's stomach growled loudly, and Blaine laughed at the sound. "Hungry?"  
Kurt looked toward Blaine and bit his lip nervously.  
"If you're hungry, we'll go downstairs and get you some food. It's a little after dinner time, but I'm sure we can find you something." He patted Kurt's knee, mindful of where his bruises were.

He stood up and stretched his arm out, extending a hand to help Kurt off the bed.

"Blaine, what if your father is down there?" Kurt asked nervously.  
"What if he _is_ down there? It doesn't matter. He's not going to touch you," Blaine said, his voice thick with indignation that was just shy of petulant.

In a slow, hesitant motion, Kurt took the offered hand, allowing himself to be helped to his feet. Though he said nothing, his face gave away his anxiety. He tried to take a step toward the door. If he hadn't been looking, Blaine would have missed the way Kurt winced as he put pressure on his leg.

Kurt bit his lip and tried to take another step. It hurt; Blaine could see the way his mouth twitched downward in pain, but Kurt was silent. He didn't want to ask Kurt if he could inspect his bruises, because he felt as though Kurt had undergone enough scrutiny for one day, and he made a note to be sure to mention it to the doctor on Monday, but he couldn't let this go on. "Kurt, would you like me to carry you? You just have to ask. Don't be embarrassed if you need help. I'll always help you."

The other boy's eyes flickered from where he was intently watching the floor with each step, as though he was afraid he would fall if he looked away, to Blaine's face. Though Kurt was silent and his face had been skillfully cleared of all traces of pain, his eyes were pleading. He would never ask for help. Even after everything he'd been through, Kurt was too proud to ask for help. He didn't want to be seen as _weak_.

Blaine almost laughed at the thought. As if there was _anything_ Kurt could do to make Blaine see him as _weak_. Kurt had been through hell that Blaine couldn't even begin to wrap his mind around. From the obvious bruising to the way he flinched away from any sudden movements or noises, Blaine knew he'd been abused. He didn't know the full extent of Kurt's torments, but just guessing was bad enough.

Kurt had been tragically uprooted from his family and sold to a "Not good. Very bad." owner who did _God knows what_ to him, tossed from abusive owner to abusive owner, until finally, his body had been pushed so far, beaten down so badly, that he collapsed and had been marked as a reject. The fact that Kurt was still functioning was enough to convince Blaine that Kurt was the strongest person he'd ever met.

He cocked his head to the side slightly, raising his eyebrows in what he hoped was a playful expression. "Kurt, there's no shame in asking for help." He wanted to add _I already know how strong you are, so you don't need to prove anything to me._ but he bit his tongue, not wanting to overplay his hand. It seemed that whenever Kurt would sense that Blaine was noticing something new about him, he would retreat back into himself in order to hide away, to protect himself from getting hurt.

Blaine decided that he'd spare Kurt the embarrassment of having to ask. "Would you like me to carry you?"

Kurt let out a breath in a quick gust and looked down toward the floor. His expression looked almost _defeated_. He lifted his gaze and nodded slowly. Blaine wasted no time taking the few necessary steps to scoop Kurt into his arms and carry him, bridal style, down the stairs.

Nervous blue eyes were darting back and forth as he scanned the house for signs of trouble. Blaine felt Kurt stiffen in his arms and drop his gaze submissively as they passed through the living room where his father was reclining in his favorite chair. He turned his head from the television to watch his son pass through, a disapproving expression on his face. Blaine shot him a withering look and continued walking.

Once they got into the kitchen, Blaine finally spoke. "Would you like to try and walk a little bit? I know it hurts, but it might help if you move your legs, make them less stiff." Kurt nodded quickly, obviously eager to be self-sufficient. Blaine set him on his feet, but kept his hands on Kurt's hips to steady him. "If it hurts too much, I want you to tell me, okay? Don't be a hero. There's no shame in asking for help."

Kurt nodded again and Blaine slowly stepped away, letting Kurt take the couple of steps required to get to his chair. Blaine pretended not to watch as Kurt hobbled his way to his seat. He had been ready if he needed to catch Kurt or help him if he needed it.

Blaine busied himself with warming up some leftover soup and making another piece of toast for Kurt, apologizing again for the limited selection of choices. Blaine even warmed some up for himself so that Kurt wouldn't have to eat alone. Tomato soup had never been his favorite, but he didn't like the idea of eating something else in front of someone who was stuck on a diet of soup and toast. He promised Kurt a better selection tomorrow.

"What's your favorite food?" Blaine asked, taking another bite of toast.

Kurt looked up at him thoughtfully, seeming to truly contemplate the answer. His face scrunched up as he answered, his voice sounded timid and unsure. "When I used to cook for my dad, I would make chicken parmesan and cut up green peppers and onions to bake with it. I remember that I really liked it. My mother showed me how to make it before she died. It's been a long time since I thought about it though."

He watched his hand as he dunked the crust of his toast into his soup a few times, seeming deep in thought. Blaine almost regretted asking. "When you get better, I mean, when you can eat regular, non-tomato-soup, food again, I'm going to make that for you."

Kurt's gaze flickered up to meet Blaine's, his blue eyes seeming to sparkle with something that looked almost like _hope_. "Y-You'd do that for me?" Kurt's voice was quietly awestruck.

He made it sound like such a monumental inconvenience. "Of course I would, Kurt," Blaine answered simply, reaching across the table to squeeze Kurt's hand lightly. A bright smile lit up Kurt's face and the sight of it very nearly knocked Blaine off his chair.

He was a terrible cook. It was something that he knew and had accepted long ago after very nearly burning his kitchen down trying to bake a birthday cake for Cooper. He'd all but given up on the whole institution, but damn it if he wasn't going to try and cook for Kurt.

With the way Kurt was looking at him now, he knew that it wouldn't matter how bad the food turned out, it would still mean more than anything that he had even tried.

As Blaine gathered up their dishes, settling himself in front of the sink to wash them, he tried to keep up small talk with Kurt. He was surprised when Kurt's voice sounded much closer than it had before. "Let me do those for you. It's the least I can do. Let me do something," Kurt asked, his tone just shy of pleading.

"Nah, I've got it covered. You're not here to work, Kurt. Remember that. You don't owe me anything," Blaine tried to keep his voice light, but he wanted Kurt to truly accept the words.

Kurt watched him work with an expression Blaine couldn't place. It looked somewhere between guilt and longing. He bit his lip and shifted his weight awkwardly. "Blaine, please, let me wash those for you. You've done so much. I don't deserve any of this. Just—Just let me do up the dishes for you." The words came out in an almost desperate rush.

Blaine shut off the tap and turned to face Kurt, drying his hands on the dishtowel before setting it on the counter.

"Kurt, listen to me. I want you to understand that you owe me _nothing_. I'm not doing this just to put you in my debt. I brought you here because you deserve so much better than how you've been treated, Kurt. You need to see that. You're not here to do chores or anything like that. You're here because when I saw you shivering in the cold, it almost killed me. I had to help you."

He tightened his grip on Kurt's upper arms and looked into his eyes, holding his gaze. "I get that you don't like to ask for help, but I couldn't leave you there, Kurt. I could tell that you were meant for so much more than that. You're above all this." He gestured around vaguely, not sure exactly what he was gesturing to, but hoping Kurt got the point anyway. "The point is, Kurt, you're not here to work. You're just here to _be_."

Kurt listened, wide-eyed, as Blaine poured his heart out. When his speech drew to its close, Kurt's eyes were wet and tears were sliding silently down his cheeks.

Blaine knew better than to push for Kurt to speak, so he forged ahead, wiping the tears from the other boy's face before turning back to the sink and changing the subject. "Now, I'm going to finish these dishes, and you're going to tell me more about that Vogue girl's asymmetrical nose."

He saw a small smile touch Kurt's face as he felt his head come to rest, just for a second, against his shoulder. In a voice so soft it was almost undetectable, Kurt whispered, "Thank you."

-xXxXx-

Blaine carried Kurt into his room, setting him on his feet next to the bed and gesturing for him to take a seat. "I'm going to get your bed set up, so whenever you're tired you can go to sleep."

Kurt nodded and slid back on the bed to watch Blaine work. He unfolded the cot and quickly put fresh sheets on the mattress before crossing the room to his closet to pull out an extra pillow. He put it inside the pillowcase and tossed it unceremoniously onto the cot, turning to face Kurt. He glanced at the clock on his nightstand. It was much later than he'd thought, already well past ten.

Just as Blaine was about to suggest that he get some sleep, Kurt yawned widely, his hand flashing to his mouth to stifle the small breathy sound. Blaine grinned widely. "Tired?"  
A small smile spread across Kurt's face as he nodded.  
"You should be. It's been quite a day," Blaine mused, walking over to where Kurt sat and offering a hand to help him up. Kurt took it and allowed himself to be led to his bed, a hand on the small of his back to keep him from wobbling too much.

Blaine turned down the bed and helped Kurt get in. "I'm sorry it's not very comfortable, but I'll start cleaning out Cooper's room tomorrow so that you can have your own bedroom."

Kurt looked up at Blaine as though he'd lost his mind, as though the suggestion that the cot wasn't the most comfortable bed on the face of the planet, was completely insane. Blaine pulled the blankets up so that Kurt wouldn't have to stretch too far. He'd seen what had happened earlier when Kurt had tried to go from lying flat to sitting up. It looked as though it caused him pain, so that was definitely something to be avoided.

Blaine carded his fingers through the side of Kurt's hair gently. "Goodnight, Kurt. Sleep well."

Kurt nuzzled his head unconsciously closer to the pillow. "Goodnight, Blaine."

The only light in the room was coming from the desk lamp and it only cast a small circle of dim light. Blaine walked over to the piano in the corner and sat down on the bench. He pressed his foot against the mute pedal and began to play softly, hoping Kurt didn't mind. It was something he did each night before bed, a habit picked up from Cooper.

Every night, when Blaine was young, Cooper would tuck him in and quietly play softly until he fell asleep. It was just something that stuck. Since his brother had moved out, Blaine would play to himself each night. He suddenly felt very self-conscious, afraid he was being too loud. Even if Blaine _was_ keeping him awake, he knew Kurt would never say anything.

He glanced over to the cot and saw a pair of soft, blue eyes watching him intently.

"I'm sorry. I'm keeping you awake," Blaine apologized awkwardly. "It's just something my brother used to do to help me sleep. I'll stop."

Kurt ignored the rambling. "You're very good."

"Thank you," Blaine said, looking down, still feeling guilty for keeping Kurt awake.  
"I don't mind if you keep playing. My mother used to play for me when I was little. She'd always play one of Chopin's nocturnes and I'd fall asleep," Kurt answered softly, sliding his hand underneath his pillow.

"I know some Chopin," Blaine said, smiling, turning back to the keys. He began playing the slow opening to his favorite nocturne, and he heard Kurt exhale a soft breath. It was a calm, relaxed sound. Blaine let his fingers drift across the keys, letting the song fade to its quiet end, feeling more relaxed than he had all day, sleepy almost.

He turned around to look at Kurt and saw that he'd fallen asleep, his face relaxed into something much calmer and more peaceful than Blaine had ever seen it. He stood up and crossed over to his bed, pulling off his jeans and sliding on a pair of cotton pajama pants. They weren't something he usually slept in, but he wore them tonight for Kurt's sake.

Blaine climbed into bed, his head falling heavily against the pillow. He did his absolute best not to go back and analyze everything that had happened that day. In that moment, there was nothing he wanted more than to just slip into unconsciousness, so he closed his eyes and willed it to happen.

He fell asleep quickly, but when he did, it wasn't the peaceful sleep he'd been hoping for.

He stood in a doorway, an entrance to a small shed. He looked around and quickly realized that it wasn't anywhere he'd been before. The shed stood in stark contrast to the considerable size of the house next to it. He wondered idly why the owners of such an opulent house would have a shed as ratty as this one, but his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a door being wrenched open. He heard a soft, tearful voice pleading. His heart dropped into his shoes as he recognized the voice.

Suddenly a man appeared in view, his hand was gripping Kurt's upper arm so tightly that it was obvious that there would be bruises. His mind flashed back to seeing Kurt in the bathtub, seeing what were clearly finger shaped bruises marking his upper arm. The man continued to shout at Kurt, ignoring his pleas.

"You worthless shit! You need to be taught some goddamn respect for other people's property, and by God, that's what I'm going to do," the man shouted, shaking Kurt like a rag doll. He dragged him down the back steps of his porch and through the backyard, throwing him inside the shed. Kurt was sent sprawling to the dirty floor as the man descended on him.

Kurt covered his face defensively, but it didn't do any good. The man hauled his foot back gave him a hard kick to the side of his leg. Kurt curled in on himself as the man kept kicking and yelling about respect. He reached down and dragged Kurt up by the hair. Tears were shining in the beaten boy's eyes, but he stayed silent. "You'll stay in here until you learn some fucking manners, boy! You're useless! Goddamn useless!"

He gave another kick, this time to Kurt's back. "I think your time is passed, boy. You're lucky I don't end it all right now. You'd be of more value to me dead than alive. You know they're buying dead workers down at the landfill now? They'll pay me more than you're worth and all you have to do is be dead. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't be able to get _something_ out of you. Hell, it'd pay for that goddamned plate you smashed."

Kurt stayed silent. It was as though he knew there was nothing left to say. His owner had already made up his mind. The man spat on the floor before delivering a final parting kick to Kurt's legs and turning around to leave, slamming the door loudly, washing the entire scene in pitch black. Kurt was trapped inside a windowless shed, curled on the floor just waiting for his owner to come back and kill him.

The last thing Blaine heard was the sound of a padlock clicking shut outside the door.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Blaine woke up with a gasp, immediately sitting bolt upright. His eyes flickered to where Kurt lay on his cot, face still relaxed with sleep. He scrubbed a hand across his face, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead. He felt vaguely sick. He'd never had a dream be so vivid before. He glanced back at Kurt, calming himself by watching the steady rise and fall of his chest.

He turned his head to look at his alarm clock; it was already 6:30. He knew there wasn't a chance of going back to sleep. He wasn't even sure he _wanted_ to go back to sleep if dreams like that were what awaited him. He threw off the covers and padded to the bathroom, taking extra time washing his hands afterward, just letting the warm water wash over his hands.

Finally, he sighed and shut off the tap, grabbing the hand towel and drying off quickly. He decided to go downstairs and plan possible meal choices for Kurt. He was surprised when he opened the refrigerator and saw a small assortment of fruit. He reached in and pulled out a few, shutting the door with his foot as he did his best to busy himself making a smoothie for Kurt's breakfast. He hoped that the whirring of the blender would be enough to distract him from his dream.

It had worked. He lost himself in making Kurt's breakfast and soon he was able to think of all the things he wanted to do that day. By the time Kurt's smoothie was done, he'd made a mental to-do list. He poured the contents of the blender into a glass and rooted around for a straw, grabbing it and making his way back upstairs.

He pushed open the door and opened the curtains to let some light in before walking over and to sit down gingerly on the edge of the cot, gently shaking Kurt awake. "Kurt, wake up," he said softly, sliding a hand across the boy's upper arm, removing it quickly when it brought back a memory of his nightmare.

Kurt's eyes fluttered open and Blaine smiled in an attempt to remind Kurt that he was safe and that he didn't need to be afraid. "Good morning," Blaine greeted quietly. "Sorry to wake you up so early, but I'd like to get an early start today, if that's alright."

Kurt sat up slowly, nodding and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He glanced down at Blaine's hand, an inquisitive expression on his face when he saw the glass. "Oh," Blaine said, lifting up the glass for Kurt to see. "I figured you'd be pretty sick of tomato soup by now, so I made you a strawberry banana smoothie."

A wide smile spread across the other boy's face as he slowly took the drink from Blaine's hand. He took a tentative sip before his smile widened and his sips became less careful.

"Is it good?" Blaine asked politely.  
Kurt nodded in a quick bob. "It's delicious, Blaine! Thank you."  
"You're welcome. I'm glad you like it."

Blaine stood up and moved to his closet, rooting through too-small t-shirts to find one that might fit Kurt. He found one and laid it out on top of a pair of Cooper's old jeans that he'd salvaged from a storage box. Blaine didn't think that Kurt, being fashion conscious, would want to go around all day in a pair of jeans that were inches too short on him, so he'd found a pair of Cooper's that, even though they might still be a little big in the hips, would come down to the top of Kurt's feet.

He tossed a belt on the pile of clothes and turned to Kurt. "What size shoe do you wear?"

Kurt looked up at him and Blaine recognized his 'deep in thought' expression. "The last time I wore shoes, I was a size eleven."  
"How long ago was that?" Blaine asked, trying to ignore the way the words _The last time I wore shoes_ made his stomach roll over.  
"Last spring, I think," Kurt said easily.

Blaine turned quickly back toward his closet, pulling out a box of a pair of size eleven shoes. He thanked the powers that be that his mother had never quite figured out his shoe size either, so he had a pair in pretty much every size. "Here," Blaine said, lifting the lid off the box. "When you get done with your breakfast, try these on, okay? They should fit."

Kurt nodded and Blaine continued talking. "Today, I'm going to take you shopping. I don't have much money right now, but we can get you a few outfits, I think. I cleared out a drawer for you in my dresser, but it's only temporary until you move into Coop's old room."

Kurt kept his eyes locked on Blaine as the younger boy paced back and forth across the room, ticking off all the things they were going to do that day. Finally, he slowed down and turned to Kurt. "How are you feeling today?"

The older boy gave a small smile. "Better, actually. That smoothie was really good."

Blaine laughed quietly, crossing the room to take the glass from Kurt. "There's some left in the fridge. You can have it for lunch if you want."  
Kurt smiled and nodded. Blaine clapped his hands once. "Okay, let's get you dressed."

Kurt dressed quickly in the clothes Blaine provided him. He walked with a slight limp, but his movement definitely seemed better than yesterday.

"How's your leg?" Blaine asked as he led Kurt over to the mirror that was hanging behind his door.

"Better, thank you," Kurt answered quickly.

Blaine didn't know if it was the truth or just Kurt's go-to answer for whenever someone asked him a question. Come to think of it, Blaine had never actually heard him say that anything wasn't 'okay'. He made another mental note to pay closer attention to Kurt in order to assess his progress. He was pretty sure that he couldn't trust the other boy to tell him if something was wrong.

He watched Kurt appraise himself in the mirror, turning himself around to see his outfit from all angles with a small smile on his face. "Sorry again about how loosely the clothes fit."

"They're perfect," Kurt said, distracted by his own reflection, his tone a bit happier than Blaine had heard it so far.

Blaine smiled and lightly clapped his hand onto Kurt's shoulder before walking toward his closet. He'd forgotten to find Kurt a jacket. He opened the door and pulled the string to turn on the light, suddenly feeling a bit overwhelmed. He had no less than six winter coats. He turned back to look at Kurt again, trying to figure out which jacket would go best with the outfit.

Suddenly, an idea occurred to him. "Hey, Kurt, come here," he called softly, beckoning the other boy over with a wave. Kurt came to stand at his side. "I can't figure out which jacket would go best with your clothes, so I figured I'd let you pick."

Kurt's eyes widened, suddenly flickering back and forth between Blaine and the closet. "R-Really?"

Blaine nodded and gestured toward the open door. "Pick the one you like best."

The taller boy took a hesitant step toward the closet, stepping inside and turning to face the rack of coats. He brought his hand to cover his mouth, an unconscious reaction that Blaine had quickly learned to mean that he was deep in thought about something. He slowly reached out and pulled down a navy-colored pea coat. "T-This one?"

Blaine was sure that Kurt knew that it was the best match for the outfit, but his voice was still hesitant as if he was asking permission. Blaine smiled and reached forward to take it from him. "Perfect."

Kurt stepped out of the closet. Blaine shut off the light and turned around. He opened the coat up for Kurt to put his arms through the sleeves. As the other boy started buttoning the coat closed, Blaine darted to his dresser, pulling out a scarf and a pair of matching gloves. "Here, these came with that coat."

He threw the scarf around the back of Kurt's neck and wrapped it loosely around the pale column of his neck. He handed Kurt the gloves as he guided him back toward the mirror. "You look amazing, Kurt. Navy goes really well with your skin," Blaine complimented, squeezing Kurt's shoulder's lightly as he watched wide, blue eyes appraising the figure in the mirror.

Kurt brought a hand to the front of the jacket as though he didn't quite believe it would be real beneath his fingers. Blaine stepped away to shrug on his own, much less remarkable, jacket, the same one he'd wrapped around Kurt the day before to keep him from freezing.

He patted the pocket to make sure he had his keys. He reached in to pull them out and a wide brass band fell out, clattering to the floor. Blaine stomach sank as he realized what it was. He'd put it in the pocket in such a hurry yesterday that he'd all but forgotten about it. Kurt's eyes flashed to it and his face fell.

"I'm so sorry, Kurt," Blaine breathed, picking up the band from where it landed on the floor.

It had been so easy to try and forget that Kurt was actually, _legally_ Blaine's property. In fact, Blaine had done his best to push it out of his mind, a task that would be nearly impossible now. He turned the cold metal band around in his hand, the brass was tarnished, dirty.

Blaine had never seen a slaveband up close before. The metal was stamped with his name and phone number so that someone could call if they found Kurt wandering somewhere he "shouldn't" be. His eyes darted to Kurt's arm and back to the band. There was no way he was going to be able to bring himself to put it on him.

All slaves were required by law to wear a metal band around the top of their arm, around their bicep. Most owners made their slave wear them at all times, but others only made them wear them when they would be somewhere they'd be seen. If Blaine had his way, Kurt would never wear it at all. It was like a brand that marked him as something different, something _less_.

His free hand unconsciously moved to cover his mouth. He felt himself start to break as he realized that, if they were going out, Kurt _had_ to wear the armband. The idea made him physically sick. He knew the stigma behind it. He heard the way people would laugh as the slave followed behind their owner, marked for what they were by a wide metal band that wrapped like a noose around their arm. He swallowed back the bile in his throat.

"What's the matter, Blaine?" Kurt asked quietly.

"I can't do it, Kurt." His voice cracked around the words. "I don't _own_ you. I can't put this on you. It looks like it belongs on a dog. You can own a dog! You can't own a fucking person!" Blaine threw the slaveband at the floor with enough force to dent the wooden boards. Tears were threatening to fall from his eyes.

Kurt stepped forward and leaned down to pick it up, wincing as he stood back up. He kept his eyes on Blaine as he put his hand through the middle of the band and slid it up his arm. The tarnished metal stood in contrast with the navy blue of his jacket.

Blaine felt almost sick. All he could do was mouth, "I'm sorry, Kurt. I'm so sorry."  
The taller boy gave Blaine a sad smile. He took a small bit of comfort in the fact that it seemed as though Kurt understood how much Blaine hated all of this. He felt the need to say it anyway.

"Kurt, I need you to understand that, no matter what the law says, I do not own you. You are not my property. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. It kills me that you have to wear that _thing_." He pointed in disgust to the band on Kurt's jacket sleeve, unable to even bring himself to call it by its name.

He took a deep breath and continued. "I am not your owner. In my eyes, we're equals, and I don't care what anyone else says. Your wants and needs and dreams matter just as much as everyone else's. Please, don't let anything ever let you forget that."

Blaine had managed to pull himself together by the end of his speech. Kurt had been watching him with a sympathetic expression. Slow and tentative, Kurt took a step toward Blaine, lifting his hand as an invitation. Blaine reached forward and put his hand inside Kurt's, watching as Kurt brought his other hand to cover Blaine's so that he was holding Blaine's hand between both of his own.

"Blaine, I don't think that you'd ever _let_ me forget." He squeezed Blaine's hand gently, a small, kind smile on his face. "Thank you. For everything. You're the only person who's treated me like a human being in three years."

"That's because you _are_ a human being, Kurt," Blaine whispered, his voice low and quiet. "And you shouldn't have to wear that damn armband. I hate it."

Kurt gave him another sad smile and squeezed his hand again.

"So, we'll hate it together," he answered softly, patting Blaine's hand before letting it drop easily. He turned around to face the mirror, surveying his outfit again.

Blaine took a deep breath, feeling comforted by Kurt's words. He would do his best to keep from noticing the brass band on the other boy's arm and vowed that the moment they walked back through the front door, it would be taken off and put somewhere that neither one of them would have to see it again until absolutely necessary.  
He picked up his keys from where they'd fallen to the floor and walked up behind Kurt, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Ready to go?"

Kurt turned away from his reflection and nodded. Blaine opened the door and led them both to the hallway, wrapping an arm around Kurt's waist to help him down the stairs. If Kurt had leaned against the railing, he probably could have made it by himself, but Blaine didn't want to take any chances.

The air was bitingly cold as Blaine shut and locked the front door behind them. Kurt looked around, distracted, as he was led to the car. He went to stand by the back passenger's side door, waiting for Blaine to unlock the car.

"What are you doing?" Blaine asked, confused, before sighing. He realized that it was another submissive gesture. Blaine opened the front passenger's door. "No, you ride up front."

Kurt gave a small smile and climbed inside. Blaine closed the door behind him before crossing around and dropping into the driver's seat, turning the key and pulling the door shut in the same motion. The air blowing from the vents was just as cold as the air outside, so he adjusted the control to a lower setting until the car warmed up.

Blaine clicked on the radio to fill the silence. It was a song they played on an almost constant loop. Blaine drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and sang along quietly. He was sick of the song, but it was familiar. He glanced at Kurt and saw his face lit up with an unnamable expression. "What are you thinking about over there?" Blaine asked easily.

"The song. It sounds familiar, but I don't think I've ever heard it," he answered quickly.  
Blaine smiled. "Do you like it?"  
"Very much," Kurt answered, a small smile gracing his features.

"They play it all the time. It's Lady Gaga," Blaine said cheerfully, thrilled to have gained another bit of insight into Kurt's personality. "It's called, You and I. It's really popular."

A small smile graced Kurt's features as a look of recognition dawned in his eyes. "She was just starting to get popular when I was in school. We did a couple of her songs for a glee assignment." He seemed a bit more relaxed than usual, seemed to be drawing some sort of comfort from the memory.

At a stop light, Blaine reached into the glove compartment, pulled out a CD and put it in the player. Kurt's eyes lit up as he recognized the song.

"I don't listen to this CD much, but since you like it…" Blaine trailed off. The Fame Monster wasn't his favorite, but anything that made Kurt happy was in his good graces.

Kurt drummed his fingers on his knees in time with the music. Blaine quietly sang along with the music, hoping that Kurt would feel comfortable enough to sing as well. He wanted to get Kurt out of his shell. He'd been discouraged from making any sort of noise for so long that it had caused him to revert into himself.

Blaine could tell, even from what little he'd learned and observed, that Kurt was one of a kind.  
In all of his other houses, that trait had been seen as a downfall, but Blaine wanted nothing more than to nurture it. He wanted to know Kurt for who he was, not what he'd been forced to become. He wanted to know the Kurt who was in glee club and had dreams of being a fashion designer.

It had been so long since Kurt had been allowed to be that person. There were momentary flashes of that Kurt. They would happen when he didn't think Blaine was watching. He could see it in the way Kurt's lips would twitch up into a smile when he'd see something he liked in Vogue or in the way his eyes would grow distant and thoughtful whenever something would remind him of a memory.

There was nothing that Blaine wanted more than to bring that person back. Not just in short bursts, but for good.

Blaine pulled into the parking lot of the thrift store and reached into his back pocket for his wallet. He opened it and showed Kurt the money they had to spend. "It's not much, but I'm hoping it will get you something of your own."

Kurt's eyes widened as he counted the money. Blue eyes flickered to Blaine's face. "A-All of that? There's at least two hundred dollars there," Kurt squeaked, his eyes still locked on Blaine's hand.

"You need clothes, Kurt. Mine don't fit you, and I'm sure you don't want to wear my brother's pants. I don't buy a lot from here, but I think you'll like it. It's where all the rich people bring their clothes. They've got fancy clothes for pretty cheap."

Kurt was speechless, but his emotion was plain on his face. He didn't need to say anything for Blaine to see that Kurt was beyond thankful. Blaine cleared his throat and dropped his eyes to the space between them, feeling awful for what he was about to say.

"I don't know if any of your past owners took you into stores, but there's a certain way you have to act. Most stores don't even like it when you bring slaves inside, but as long as you stay quiet and just follow me, no one will say anything. As long as you've got your armband on, you should be okay."

Kurt nodded his agreement. Blaine wondered idly how far this would set Kurt back in his progress to accepting that he wasn't inferior. He opened the door and stepped out, quickly crossing to the other side of the car to open Kurt's door. It wasn't something that owners normally did for their slaves, but Blaine was desperate to feel in control of this situation in some way. Usually it was the slave's job to open doors for their owner.

He reached into the car and helped Kurt out, reminding him not to put too much weight on his right leg. As they walked toward the front of the building, Blaine whispered to Kurt. "Anything you like, point to it, alright? You won't be allowed to try anything on, because slaves aren't allowed to touch anything, but there's an old sewing machine in Cooper's room. We can make the clothes fit."

"I can sew," Kurt said, his voice sounded excited. Blaine was going to protest, thinking it was just another of Kurt's insistent pleas to help, but he stopped himself. The tone of Kurt's voice made him think that sewing was something that Kurt actually enjoyed. He'd have to get the sewing machine out of storage as soon as they got home. Blaine nodded and gave Kurt a small smile, patting his arm quickly before letting his arm drop.

They were now where people could see them. Blaine could feel Kurt completely shut down beside him, his eyes cast toward the ground as he reached forward and opened the door for Blaine. He fought the urge to thank Kurt. It was a reflex reaction that would have garnered disapproving stares. It was unheard of for an owner to thank their slave for tasks they were supposed to do automatically.

Blaine led Kurt to the men's section. Thankfully, it was empty, so they were able to act a little more freely. Kurt's eyes sparkled as he pointed to the different articles of clothing that caught his attention. Blaine had to cover his mouth to stifle a laugh at Kurt's expression when Blaine gestured jokingly to a green paisley shirt as a suggestion. Kurt had looked nothing short of horrified.

He put the clothes on the checkout counter and watched as the woman rang them up. He risked a glance at Kurt. Though they were cast submissively to the floor, his eyes were bright and excited. The cashier finished putting the clothes in bags and glanced toward Kurt, obviously expecting that he would have taken them from the counter already.

Blaine did his best to feign annoyed frustration. "The bags, Kurt," he sighed, his tone impatient.

Kurt's head snapped up. He quickly took the bags from the counter and stepped behind Blaine, dropping his gaze back toward the floor. Blaine paid for the clothes and turned to walk toward the door, Kurt falling into step behind him. He opened the door with his arms full and held it open for Blaine.

As soon as they were around the side of the building where no one could see, Blaine took the bags from Kurt's hands and pressed the button to open the hatch of his Volvo, walking over to put the bags inside before turning to Kurt. "You okay?" He asked, eager to make sure that his tone inside the store hadn't actually hurt the other boy. "I'm sorry I was a jerk at the counter. The cashier would have suspected something if I'd tapped you on the shoulder or said something nicely."

Kurt looked toward Blaine's face, and Blaine breathed a sigh of relief to see that the hardened mask hadn't returned. He still looked okay, almost happy even. "I understand," he whispered. He kept his voice quiet on the off chance someone was listening.

"Let's get home so that you can try on these clothes," Blaine said, actually feeling a bit excited about the prospect of seeing Kurt in his new clothes. Kurt had impeccable taste. The clothes he picked were amazing. He would gesture silently to the pieces that would be combined to form an outfit. They were all original, never something that would be the obvious choice for a combination, but it worked. It could definitely be said: Kurt had a flair for fashion.

They made it home just around lunchtime. Blaine had suggested that Kurt drink the last of the smoothie in the refrigerator before trying on his new clothes. Kurt seemed impatient, drinking the smoothie down much faster than he had before. Blaine was barely able to hide his smile. It was kind of adorable to see Kurt so excited about something. The taller boy's socked foot tapped restlessly against the tile floor as he drank as quickly as he could.

Blaine had to remind him more than once that he needed to take it slowly, because he was still getting better. Kurt finished the drink and stood up all at the same time. Blaine chuckled and took the glass from Kurt's hand. "Alright, let's go," he laughed, wrapping an arm around the other boy's waist. He wanted to take as much weight off Kurt's bruised leg as possible now that no one was around to see.

They'd no more than made it into Blaine's bedroom before Kurt hurried to the where the bags were waiting on the bed. Blaine climbed onto the bed and slid back against the headboard, watching Kurt separate the clothes into their respective outfits.

They'd done well for their budget, finding Kurt four pairs of jeans, seven shirts, two pairs of shoes, and two belts.

Kurt tried on the outfits one at a time, appraising himself thoughtfully in the mirror and scrunching up fabric where it hung loosely. Blaine could see him figuring out how he was going to tailor the clothes to fit him perfectly.

"Oh," Blaine announced, climbing off the bed. "I just remembered something. I'll be right back."  
He walked past Kurt, giving him a quick squeeze on the shoulder before dashing out of the room.

Blaine wiggled his way between the boxes that were stacked floor to ceiling in Cooper's bedroom, doing his best to try and get to the closet, praying that once he got there, he'd actually be able to open the door. When he got to the back of the room, the door would open, but just barely enough for him to squeeze inside. He pulled the string and dug around under a mess of blankets and clothes to donate to charity. He made a note to let Kurt look through _those_ later to see if there was anything he might want.

Finally, he found what he'd been looking for buried under a comforter. He tucked it under his arm and picked up the box beside it by the handle, wiggling backward to make himself and the objects fit through the door. He didn't even bother to close it before hurrying out of the room.

"This is for you," Blaine said cheerfully, setting down a small sewing machine and a box of assorted sewing things. His mother had tried to explain what each one was when he was younger, but he had lost interest quickly, usually opting to go play Power Rangers instead.

"Me?" Kurt asked, pointing to himself for clarification. "You're giving those to _me_?"  
"Yeah, I mean, it's not much, but I'm sure we can pick up what you need as you need it. Just go through there and make me a list, and I'll go buy what you need." Blaine looked down at the box. Kurt had already popped the latch and was setting things aside, grouping items together as though they related to each other in some way. It all looked very confusing.

Blaine scratched his head. "On second thought, why don't you make a list and we'll both go shopping for what you need. I don't think I'd know what to buy. All of that stuff looks the same."  
Kurt smiled in Blaine's direction, his eyes full of emotion. "Thank you, Blaine. So much. It's been so long since I've done anything like this. I didn't realize how much I missed it."

"You're welcome," Blaine answered, smiling. He was glad that he was able to make Kurt happy. Even if it was with such a small thing.

"Oh, there's a bag of clothes in Cooper's room too. I think they were his, so they'd probably fit you if you wanted to try them on. I mean, you'd have to fix them like you're doing with the new clothes, but…." Blaine broke off, realizing that he was rambling. "Just know that they're there if you want them. All you have to do is tell me and I'll bring them in for you to look through."

The smile on Kurt's face was breathtaking. Blaine realized why he'd been rambling. He'd been so desperate to try and keep the smile in place. Kurt's smile lit up his entire face, making his nose crinkle slightly and causing his blue eyes to sparkle. _That_ was the expression that belonged on such a beautiful face and Blaine would do whatever it took to try and keep it there.

-xXxXx-

Blaine lounged on his bed, trying to concentrate on his English homework and listening to the steady thrumming of the sewing machine as he tried to get through yet another chapter of The Great Gatsby. Kurt had quickly decided exactly what he wanted to do with the clothes he'd bought and Blaine suggested that Kurt set the sewing machine on the desk to work and he'd just do his homework on the bed.

Kurt had asked him no less than ten times if Blaine was sure he didn't mind. He was obviously still not used to the idea of someone sharing a space with him. Blaine had finally laughed and grabbed Kurt's hand to pull him off the bed, taking the boy and the sewing machine and depositing them both at the desk.

He'd pulled out the desk chair and pointed to it with an insistent order of "Kurt, sit."

The other boy had smiled and dropped down into the chair. Blaine brought the rest of his supplies to him and rubbed a hand across his back quickly before walking back toward the bed.

The room was silent aside from the noise of the sewing machine. Blaine smiled to himself as he realized that the silence wasn't awkward. It was just two people comfortably occupying the same space. Blaine stretched out on his bed, lying flat on his back and holding the book above his face.

The only break in the silence was when Kurt paused his work and quietly asked if he could use the bathroom. Blaine patiently reminded him, for the third time, that he didn't need to ask. Kurt thanked him and ducked out of the room. Blaine picked his book back up and made another futile attempt to get interested.

There was just something about F. Scott Fitzgerald's writing that didn't appeal to him. It was boring, but he knew there would be a test, so he had to at least _try_ to get through the chapter. He sighed deeply and turned to his side, trying his best to get involved in the story.

-xXxXx-

He wasn't exactly sure when it happened, but apparently he had fallen asleep. He glanced over toward his clock. It was already past six; he'd been asleep for four hours. He sat up, feeling groggy and disoriented after such a long nap. The room was dark, so he clicked the light on, surprised to see Kurt sitting on his cot, his back resting against the wall. "Kurt?"

"I'm sorry. Did I wake you?" He asked nervously.  
"No, you didn't wake me. Why were you sitting in the dark?" Blaine's voice was still thick with sleep, so he cleared his throat. "You could have turned a light on. God, you must have been bored out of your mind."

Blaine threw his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, stretching his stiff muscles. His stomach growled loudly, so he put a hand over it and turned to Kurt. "Are you hungry?"

Kurt nodded, so Blaine tried to remember what food they had in the kitchen. He'd been planning to run to the store to pick up something for them both to eat, but he'd fallen asleep instead. He helped Kurt downstairs, pleased that he seemed to be moving a little better.

Blaine had no idea where his parents were. They'd stopped bothering to tell him that they were going out a long time ago. It didn't even faze him anymore to wake up and go to bed in an empty house. It had been better when Cooper was still living there, but he'd managed to make do living by himself.

"We still don't have much, but I'm thinking that maybe you can try something a little bit more substantial today. You handled the soup and the smoothies well. I don't want to give you too much before I make your appointment tomorrow. I'd like you to see the doctor first," Blaine said, turning to busy himself in the cupboards.

He could feel Kurt's eyes on him, watching him work. He wondered how it felt for Kurt to have someone waiting on him when he was so used to being the one who worked his fingers to the bone for no thanks at all. He wondered if he'd ever understand what any of this looked like to Kurt: Someone cooking for him, buying him clothes, giving him a bed, and not forcing him to work (or do anything else) against his will.

Blaine plated their food and poured them each a small glass of milk before returning to the table. "I know it's a _terrible_ dinner, but I don't want to give you too much of anything. I've heard it's really, really bad, and I don't want to accidentally hurt you somehow."

Kurt smiled as he looked down at what was on his plate, a single piece of toast coated with peanut butter. He reached forward and squeezed Blaine's hand lightly. "It's not terrible. I like peanut butter." As if to prove it, he lifted the toast to his mouth and took a deliberate bite.

He was sure that Kurt was just saying that to make him feel better, but it worked. He lifted his own toast to his mouth and ate it quickly. He was much hungrier than he'd originally realized. His stomach growled in protest of only having _one_ piece of toast, but he wasn't going to eat anything more than Kurt could eat. He drank his milk to try and fill the empty space in his stomach.

As he gathered the plates from the table and set them in the sink, Blaine asked, "What's your favorite movie?"

The other boy seemed caught off guard by the question. "Oh…um…I'm not sure," he responded after some thought. "I'd probably say, Moulin Rouge."

Blaine spun on his heel, turning to face Kurt quickly. "Well, then why don't we go watch it? I've got it upstairs. Hang on a second, and I'll go get it. Why don't you go make yourself comfortable in the living room, and I'll be down in a second, alright?"

Kurt nodded and slowly stood up. He looked a little uncomfortable with the idea of Blaine leaving him alone in the living room. Slaves generally weren't allowed to sit on the furniture or be unattended in rooms that didn't belong to them unless they were cleaning or were directly ordered to be there.

Blaine was going to offer him reassurances that it was okay and that he was free to do whatever he wanted, but he figured that Kurt just needed to get used to the idea, so he left it alone, darting out of the room with a parting touch to Kurt's shoulder.

When he came back downstairs, Kurt was sitting on the very edge of the couch. His posture radiated discomfort and apprehension. Again, Blaine decided to ignore the elephant in the room and chatter idly about the movie as he put it in the DVD player and dropped down next to Kurt. He kept his tone conversational and light as he finally decided to broach the subject.

"Y'know, Kurt. You can make yourself comfortable. As long as I'm here, this is your house too."

Kurt inched a little to the side as the movie started, obviously uncomfortable but trying not to show it. His eyes were glued to the screen as he watched the figures dance around. He reminded Blaine of a child on Christmas morning. But still, he sat bolt upright, looking almost in danger of falling off the couch if he made a sudden movement.

Finally, Blaine couldn't take anymore, he stretched his arms out and pulled Kurt back against the back of the couch, wrapping his arms around the other boy's waist and pulling him close to his body until Kurt was almost leaning against his side.

He had looked startled at first, clearly a protective instinct kicked in, but it seemed as though he quickly dismissed it when he remembered that it was _Blaine_. The thought that Kurt felt comfortable around him made Blaine's heart fly. Kurt laughed out a small, nervous sound and pulled his legs up beside him on the couch.

Blaine smiled, keeping his arm wrapped around Kurt's middle. "Better?"  
Kurt turned his head toward Blaine and grinned. "Much."  
About halfway through the movie, he felt Kurt shiver against his side. "What's the matter?"  
"Nothing," Kurt answered too quickly.  
"Kurt."

The other boy sighed deeply and bit his lip, clearly anxious about saying whatever it was he was about it say. "I-I'm a little cold."  
"Well then, we should make you a little warm," Blaine joked, reaching behind him to grab the blanket from the back of the couch, spreading it over both of them. "It _is_ a little cold in here, isn't it?"

Kurt nuzzled unconsciously under the blanket, and Blaine felt his body slowly begin to relax against his side, leaning further and further into him until eventually, he felt Kurt's head rest against his arm. Blaine laughed quietly as he heard the soft snores coming from Kurt. He pulled the sleeping boy closer to his side and let the movie play itself out. As the credits rolled, he lifted Kurt gently off the couch and carried him upstairs, covering him with his blankets after laying him down on his cot.

He stood for a moment watching Kurt sleep. His exhausted face was relaxed into something that almost resembled _peaceful_. He couldn't believe that it had been less than two days. It felt like an eternity. Even in such a short time, the change that had come over Kurt had been amazing.

It was a testament to just how strong he actually was. There was something about _Kurt_ that Blaine knew was unique, and he was relieved beyond all explanation that all the torture and abuse hadn't been able to squash it. As hard as all his past owners tried, they just couldn't completely break him.

Blaine smiled softly and carded his fingers through the sleeping boy's hair before turning to leave. He went back downstairs to do up the few dishes in the sink and fold the blanket on the couch before returning to his room to settle into his bed.

After sleeping for four hours that afternoon, he wasn't particularly tired. He went to his desk to grab his laptop, putting his earbuds in and dropping back down, cross-legged, on the bed.

He opened the laptop and was listening to music on YouTube when his curiosity suddenly got the better of him. He moved his cursor to the search box and typed in "New Directions Midwest Regional Show Choir Competition 2009" and hit enter.


	5. Chapter 5

Waiting for the page to load, Blaine did a bit of math in his head. Regionals was in early spring, and Kurt had been taken out of class by his guidance councilor, so at some point between early April and early June of that year, Kurt's life had been completely turned upside down. Suddenly, Blaine wasn't so sure this was a good idea.

His eyes flashed to where Kurt was sleeping, beaten and fragile, on the cot in the corner of his bedroom. He had never known Kurt before he'd been taken by the Department, so, even though he looked bad now, Blaine had never seen him look another way. The Kurt he was going to see on the computer screen was the person he was _before_ any of this had happened. This Kurt had a father and a loving home. Was Blaine really ready to see that, ready to see definitive proof of the tragic differences between that Kurt and the broken boy that lay sleeping ten feet away?

He took a deep breath through his nose and clicked the first video on the list. It started out with the two leads walking down the aisles of the performance hall singing the opening to Journey's "Faithfully". They eventually made their way to the stage and, with a crescendo, the patterned curtain rose behind them, revealing the rest of the choir.

His eyes scanned the group briefly before locking onto a slender boy swaying in the background, doing his steps gracefully, and harmonizing perfectly with the rest of the group. Blaine's eyes stayed glued to him throughout the performance. He always blended in with the rest. His steps, his voice, everything was in sync with the rest of the group.

Slowly, the boy stepped out from the crowd, making his way to the center of the stage. The voice that came out of Kurt was enough to make Blaine's jaw drop. The perfect countertenor voice was like nothing he'd ever heard before.

As he watched _this_ Kurt, baby-faced, cheerful, and confident, singing his part beautifully without missing a step of the choreography, Blaine felt himself start crying. Tears streamed silently down his face as he listened to the performance draw to its close.

He slammed the lid of his laptop shut and yanked the earbuds from his ears, covering his mouth and pushing the laptop away from him in the same motion. It had been too much. He shouldn't have watched the video, shouldn't have drawn the parallel between that Kurt and the new broken and fragile Kurt.

Blaine's eyes flickered to Kurt's small body, watching his chest rise and fall as he slept. The breathing looked shallow, unable to take a full breath of air because of whatever was causing his cough, but still, he looked peaceful. If Blaine hadn't watched the video, he would have believed that Kurt was getting better, making some sort of progress toward being okay, but he wasn't.

Kurt would never be that boy again. He'd never have that innocence back. It was gone. The bright gleam that had been in that boy's eyes was gone from the new Kurt's eyes, replaced by cynicism and distrust.

Blaine had tricked himself into believing that, maybe, he could see a bit of that gleam in Kurt's eye whenever he let his guard down, but he'd been fooling himself. That look was that of someone who still believed that there was good in the world. That he could follow his dreams and become a fashion designer in some big city somewhere.

That Kurt was gone. That trust and innocence had been beaten out of him, slowly worn away by owner after owner until there was nothing left but a shell of a boy who had once had hopes and dreams and friends and family. Just a shell of _Kurt_.

He wanted to pull him into his arms and apologize for everything that had ever happened to him, wanted to hold him and promise that no one would ever hurt him again. That he was safe. He wanted Kurt to know that he was going to make everything alright again. Somehow.

He laid down against his pillow and cried himself to sleep thinking about Kurt.

The sun shining into Blaine's window was what woke him up. Somewhere in the back of his mind, as he sat up and rubbed his eyes, he realized that he'd overslept and was late for school. He tried to convince himself that it had been an accident that he hadn't set his alarm the night before like he always did.

He reached to his nightstand and picked up his cell phone, dialing the number he'd scribbled on the notepad by his clock. He drummed his fingers on the back of the phone as he waited for an answer.

" _Franklin County Health Department, this is Sherry, how may I help you?"_  
"Yes, ma'am, my name is Blaine Anderson and I need to make an appointment for my worker. I just bought him and he's got a bad cough. He's also very underweight. I'd like to get him in as soon as possible, please."

Blaine spoke in a hushed voice, looking around to see whether or not Kurt was awake, slightly alarmed when his eyes settled onto an empty bed.

" _How's 1:30 this afternoon sound, Mr. Anderson?"_

Blaine agreed politely and ended the phone call, throwing his legs over the edge of the bed and going to find Kurt.

"K-Kurt?" Blaine called, worried.  
"Oh, I'm..um...in the bathroom." Kurt's voice called through the door.  
"Are you okay?" Blaine asked, relief creeping into his tone.  
"Yes. I wanted to try on the shirt I altered and you were asleep, so I didn't want to wake you," Kurt's voice responded quickly. "W-Would you like to see it?"

"Of course," Blaine answered, his voice thick with excitement. "Let's see!"

The door opened slowly to reveal Kurt, a light, embarrassed blush coloring his cheeks. He adjusted the hem of his shirt self-consciously. "I wanted to leave a little bit of room in case I start putting on a little weight."

Blaine smiled and cocked his head, appraising the outfit, idly offering, "Well, I hope you but on a little more than _a little_ weight." as he took in the way the perfectly tailored black shirt clung to Kurt's body, accentuating his broad shoulders and slim waist. A pair of tight fitting dark denim jeans clung snugly against his hips and legs.

"You look amazing, Kurt," Blaine said, his voice almost awed. It was true. He'd never seen anyone look as beautiful as Kurt did. It wasn't just the outfit, but the subtle hint of confidence that radiated from the taller boy as he stood in, what he _knew_ was, a flawless outfit.

Kurt's face lit up at the praise. "Really?" He asked, softly.

Blaine almost laughed aloud. It was obvious that Kurt knew just how perfect the outfit looked. Before Blaine stood a boy who was clearly fishing for a compliment. And Blaine had no problem playing along. "You look absolutely fantastic. That outfit is perfect and you pull it off amazingly."

Kurt's eyes sparkled excitedly as he listened to Blaine speaking. Finally, he cast his gaze to the floor shyly. "I think I really like this outfit."

"As well you should. It's fantastic," Blaine added cheerfully, stepping forward to pull Kurt into a hug. Kurt's body stiffened minutely at the contact before relaxing into the embrace, slowly raising his arms to wrap around Blaine's middle. The shorter boy pulled away first, letting his hands slide down Kurt's arms to take his hands into his own. "So, why don't you go take a shower and I'll make you something for breakfast."

Kurt's face screwed up in confusion. "Don't you have school?"  
"Yeah, but I'm not going. You've got a doctors appointment at 1:30," Blaine said easily.  
"But...you're parents?"

Blaine waved his hand dismissively. "I'll just tell them that I already told them about your appointment and they said it was okay. If they even ask. Which I doubt they will. So, go take a shower. Use any of the soaps and shampoos that you want, and meet me downstairs when you're done, okay?"

Kurt nodded, a wide smile on his face. Blaine gave his hand a parting squeeze and turned to go downstairs. He heard the bathroom door shut and the water come on as he reached the bottom stair. He smiled to himself and went into the kitchen, still just as devoid of food as he'd left it.

Opening the refrigerator, he quickly realized that today was definitely the day that he'd have to go shopping. There were literally three eggs and a half carton of milk inside. He sighed and resigned himself to cooking scrambled eggs. They were a food that Cooper used to make him whenever he was sick, so he figured they'd be okay for Kurt's stomach.

He was just putting the last swipe of butter onto a piece of toast when he heard footsteps coming up behind him. Kurt had showered and changed into his new outfit, even taking a moment to style his damp hair. It would fall down quickly as it dried, but it looked amazingly well coiffed for the moment. Blaine would offer him a little bit of product after breakfast.

"Well, don't you look smart?" Blaine complimented, his voice kind. He set a plate of eggs a half piece of toast in front of Kurt.

Kurt smiled in Blaine's direction and lifted a corner of the toast to his mouth, his expression just shy of smug. Blaine laughed softly and ruffled Kurt's hair, an action met with a politely irritated huff. He was so overjoyed by Kurt's personality finally starting to peek through, that he wanted to pull him into his arms and hug the breath out of him.

Blaine waited through breakfast to see if the careful mask would return to Kurt's face, but to his delight, it didn't. Kurt just chattered excitedly about his outfit and all the plans he had for the other clothes. Blaine gave him the rundown of what the plans were for that day. They'd go to the doctor's office and then stop by the pharmacy to pick up whatever medicine the doctor prescribed him for his cough.

He explained that a trip to the grocery store was necessary, making Kurt laugh softly as Blaine observed that either they go to the store today, or it was going to be saltine crackers and Kool-Aid for dinner.

As they finished eating, Blaine collected their plates and brought them to the sink. He figured he might as well get them cleaned up so he wouldn't have to come home to a sink full of dishes. He picked up the cloth and added some soap. He hummed a song quietly as he washed. He didn't even realize that he'd started singing until he heard Kurt gasp. He dropped the plate and turned around to see Kurt was visibly shaking, his eyes wide and brimming with tears.

"Kurt, what's the matter?" Blaine asked, rushing to his side. "Hey, hey...talk to me. What's wrong?"

He had to struggle to catch what Kurt said. His voice was hitching and broken and quiet. "T-That song, Blaine. Why were you singing that song?"

Blaine didn't understand. He's just been washing dishes and humming. Maybe he remembered singing a few of the words to the Journey song that had been stuck in his head when he woke up, but he didn't understand why Kurt would be-

Suddenly, he made the connection between what he'd been singing and Kurt's reaction.

"Oh my God, Kurt, I'm so sorry," Blaine gushed, his voice desperate and pleading. "I'm so sorry. I didn't even think."

"How did you know about that?" Kurt sobbed, his words partially muffled by his hand. "That was so long ago..."

"I looked it up on YouTube. Please don't be mad at me. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have-" Blaine broke off, unable to think of an excuse or an apology that could explain how truly sorry he was. He took a deep breath and put a hand on Kurt's shoulder, pleased by the fact that Kurt didn't try to shrug it off. "You were amazing, Kurt."

The other boy's breath hitched again, his eyes sparkling sadly. He opened his mouth, looking as though he was about to speak, but closed it just as quickly.

"Kurt, please say something," Blaine prompted, his voice desperate. He needed to find some way to help, and he couldn't help if Kurt wouldn't give him something to work with.

Kurt cast his eyes to the floor, tears streaming freely down his cheeks. Blaine finally gave in and wrapped his arms around the crying boy's shoulders. Kurt rested his head against Blaine's shoulder and let himself be comforted. "I'm sorry, Kurt. I shouldn't have-"

The taller boy sniffled and pulled back to look at Blaine's face. "It's okay, Blaine. Don't cry."

He hadn't realized he'd been crying until he felt Kurt's thumb brush away a tear. His heart jumped as he realized how the tables had turned. He tightened his hold on Kurt, pulling him closer. "Are you okay? Please, tell me the truth, because I want to help you _be_ okay if you're not."

Blaine took Kurt's hand and led them back to the table. He slid his chair next to Kurt's and took his hand, squeezing it gently to prompt him to answer. Kurt took a deep breath and answered, his voice thoughtful. "I'm okay. It's just—It's been a long time since I heard that. It just brought back a lot of memories, I guess."

Blaine gave Kurt's hand a reassuring squeeze. "Tell me about them. The memories, I mean."

He wanted to get Kurt talking, to get him to open up. He wanted to make Kurt reminisce over happy memories. It was naive to think that, by focusing on pleasant memories, he'd forget about the bad ones, but if it took his mind off of the abuse for even a second, it was worth it.

A small, watery smile touched Kurt's face. "Well, glee club was the only place I ever really felt like I belonged. Being..." Kurt hesitated, his face screwing up in worry. Worry over what, Blaine wasn't sure. Was he worried about how Blaine was going to react? The younger boy kept his face even and made a show of actively listening, hoping that Kurt would continue. Finally, he did.

He took another calming breath and tried again. "Being gay in Lima didn't make me many friends, but I always felt comfortable when I was in glee club. It was the only place I didn't get picked on. I had friends there." Kurt looked back toward the floor. His eyes had gone distant and sad.

"Well," Blaine tried. "For what it's worth, you have a friend here, too."

Kurt looked up. His eyes were brimming with tears, but they were much less sad than they had been. He smiled softly, squeezing Blaine's hand. "Thank you, Blaine. I don't think you'll ever know how much that means to me."

His voice was so earnest that Blaine believed him. He believed that he'd probably never grasp what it meant to Kurt to just have someone to listen and comfort him. He gave Kurt a small smile and pulled him into a quick hug. When he leaned back against the back of his chair, Kurt's eyes were distant again, this time, however, they still had the brightness that Blaine had grown to love.

"Wanna tell me what you're thinking about?" Blaine asked. "You don't have to, but you can if you want. I'd love to hear more about you."

Kurt met his eyes, smiling softly. "I was thinking about my dad, actually. He drove all the way to Columbus to watch us perform. I just remember, after we lost, he came up and told me how proud he was of me. And how proud my mother would be." Kurt sniffled once, there were tears in his eyes, but he didn't look sad. It just looked like he was remembering something that meant a lot to him.

Blaine thought about the way Kurt stumbled over his earlier admission and asked, "Did your father know you were gay?"

Kurt let out a short peal of laughter, his eyes suddenly sparkling. "Yes, he knew." Another laugh. "He knew before I even told him."

"Was he okay with it? With you?" Blaine asked, not sure if he was overstepping some sort of boundary. He figured that Kurt's father must have been a pretty accepting man from the way Kurt talked about their relationship.

"He said that he'd always love me no matter what. He always supported me in everything I wanted to do. He told me that he'd do whatever he could to make sure that I had all the opportunities in life that straight kids have," Kurt said, smiling fondly. "He was kind of my best friend, in a way."

"I can tell," Blaine remarked, returning Kurt's smile.

He wondered what it must have been like for Kurt to have a father who loved and supported him unconditionally. Blaine knew that, in his own way, his father loved him, but he knew that he didn't support Blaine's "lifestyle choice". Though he'd never said anything to Blaine about it outright. He'd overheard his father telling Cooper that it was best not to encourage him, because it was just a phase that he'd pass through.

Cooper had argued with their father, but ultimately, they both knew it was futile to try and change their father's mind about something. It was later that night that Cooper had come into Blaine's room and promised that he'd always stand by his side.

Blaine's train of thought came full-circle as he remembered how the story about Kurt's father ends. "I'm sorry you lost your father, Kurt," he offered, feeling as though the words could never be enough to convey how deep the sentiment went.

"I miss him every day," Kurt answered. "I think the worst part about losing him is that I didn't get to say goodbye. They said he collapsed at the shop and was taken to the hospital. That was all I heard. I didn't get to go to his funeral." Kurt sighed sadly, his voice a low murmur. "I don't even know where my father is buried."

"Then we'll find him." Blaine's voice was solemnly enthusiastic, sure. "Kurt, no matter what it takes, we'll find your father."

Kurt smiled and squeezed Blaine's hand tightly within his own. His voice was barely above a whisper when he finally answered. "Thank you, Blaine. Thank you for everything. All of this." He gestured to his clothes and the empty glass of milk in front of him that Blaine had missed when collecting dishes to wash. "I don't know how, but I will repay you for all of this somehow."

"Kurt, you don't have to repay me for anything," Blaine promised. "All you have to do is get better. That's all the payment I need."

Another smile lit up Kurt's face, gratitude shining in his eyes.

"Now, I've got to go take a shower to get ready for your doctor's appointment. Will you be okay by yourself for a few minutes? You don't have to do anything. Just watch TV or read. You can do whatever you want, okay?"

Kurt nodded in agreement, still looking mildly uncomfortable with being left alone. Blaine gave his hand a parting squeeze and dashed upstairs to the shower, completing the task in record time. He threw on whatever clothes he touched and darted back downstairs.

The first thing he noticed was that the dirty glass on the table was gone, now resting in the dish strainer. The counters had been wiped down and the egg pan had been cleaned, _also_ now in the dish strainer.

He called Kurt's name, receiving an answer coming from the living room. Kurt was straightening cushions on the couch. He had just turned to run a rag across the coffee table when Blaine grabbed him by the waist and playfully pulled him down onto the couch.

"What do you think you're doing?" He asked, poking a finger into Kurt's chest. A quiet peal of giggles bubbled out of Kurt. "Because it sure as hell doesn't look like watching TV or reading a book."

Kurt laughed again quietly before sighing. "I-I just want to help, Blaine. I feel useless just sitting around."

Blaine sighed and lifted Kurt from his lap, setting him down on the cushion beside him. "I'll make you a deal, alright? You get better. Like, really better, and we'll talk about it, okay? Until then, I want you to sit around and do nothing. Read, sew, watch TV, it doesn't matter, but just relax."

Kurt smiled and made a show of leaning back against the back of the couch, looking like the picture of leisure. Blaine laughed, because something about the _gesture_ looked as though it was dripping with sarcasm. He ruffled Kurt's hair lightly, earning himself a disapproving scoff followed by a quiet laugh.

Blaine clicked the television on, putting on one of his recorded shows. He delighted in how quickly Kurt got involved in the program.

His face was screwed up in adorable confusion. "So...that girl, Elena, she's got _both_ of those hot vampires falling all over her?"

Blaine laughed and tried to explain the premise to Kurt, who seemed to get more confused as the conversation drew on. He promised that, once they got back, he'd bring out his DVDs and they'd have a marathon so that he could catch up. Kurt seemed excited by the idea.

He caught himself staring at the way Kurt's eyes would sparkle whenever he was excited. It wasn't just his eyes. When Kurt would smile, really smile, his entire face would light up. His nose would crinkle as his mouth turned up into a crooked smile.

As the episode ended, Blaine checked the time on his phone. They were already running late, so Blaine stood up quickly, pulling Kurt to his feet. "Ready to go?"

Kurt nodded and Blaine made his way to the coat rack by the door to retrieve his jacket, holding it open for Kurt to slide into. He shrugged his own jacket on, looking away as Kurt slid his armband into place.

Blaine held open the passenger's door for Kurt, closing it immediately once he was inside to help block the biting wind from getting into the car. He made his way to the driver's side and got in quickly, turning on the car.

As they drove, Blaine had the radio on. He sang along quietly to the CD he'd put in. At Blaine's urging, Kurt had rifled through his CD collection and picked one to put in the player. Blaine sang along quietly. Slowly, he realized that there was something adding to the melody. He stopped singing for a moment and listened.

Kurt was absently humming along to the music, his fingers keeping time on his knees as he stared out the window. Blaine's smile stretched widely across his face as he listened to Kurt's humming turn into quiet singing. He did his best to make it seem as though he wasn't paying attention. He wasn't even sure Kurt realized what he was doing.

He just listened in silence to the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard.

-xXxXx-

Kurt had been silent in the waiting room, keeping his eyes locked on the floor as though he was suddenly interested in the ugly pattern of the carpet. It was strangely empty for the middle of the day on a Monday.

"You alright?" Blaine asked quietly, keeping his voice whisper quiet to keep from attracting the attention of the lady behind the counter.

Kurt gave a small nod. "Y-Yeah. Just nervous," he answered, drying his palms on his jeans.

"You don't have to be afraid here, Kurt. Doctors are meant to be impartial. I've been here before. Your doctor is really nice. She'll treat you well," Blaine reassured, reaching down to give Kurt's hand a light squeeze before pulling away.

A door opened and a lady in dusky pink scrubs poked her head out. "Blaine Anderson?"

He put a hand on Kurt's back to help him to his feet as he led him to the door, following the nurse into an exam room. She gestured for Kurt to climb up onto the exam table and for Blaine to take a seat in the plastic chair in the corner of the sterile room. He moved the chair next to where Kurt sat and rested a hand on his knee in a comforting gesture.

She bustled around, fussing over taking Kurt's blood pressure and temperature, scribbling the findings down onto his chart. "You've got a bit of a temperature, son," she remarked, closing the folder and leaving the room with the reassurance that the doctor would be in shortly and that he should change into the gown that was folded on the table.

Kurt changed silently, climbing back onto the table with a grimace. Blaine noticed that the bruises on his legs had grown darker in the middle but were slowly beginning to yellow around the edges. They were healing. Before he'd put the gown on, Blaine saw the bruises on his torso were healing as well.

There was a soft knock on the door before it opened, a kind-faced female doctor came in, a friendly smile on her face.

"Hello..." She trailed off, checking the chart in her hand, looking for Kurt's name. Another smile touched her face as she quickly continued. "Kurt."

Kurt greeted her shyly, his eyes still cast to the floor, clearly uncomfortable with speaking conversationally with a stranger.

Blaine shot a pleading glance at the doctor, begging for her to work harder to put Kurt at ease.

She walked over and dropped down on the little rolling stool and rolling over to the desk. "Kurt, I just want you to know that I've been treating workers for many years. I'm not here to judge you or your owner. My job is to help you and get you healthy. Nothing else."

Blaine smiled and nodded at the doctor before turning to look at Kurt. "She just wants to help you. I would never have brought you anywhere that I thought they might hurt you."

The doctor smiled softly at Blaine, clearly pleased to finally see an owner who was actually worried about his worker.

"Now," she asked, clicking her pen and setting it down on the folder before standing up to examine Kurt. "Can you tell me what's wrong? Blaine says you've got a cough. I'd like to check that first. When did that start?"

Blaine listened carefully as Kurt nervously began to explain the source of his cough. She nodded along as she pressed the head of the stethoscope against strategic locations of Kurt's back, instructing him to take deep breaths. Kurt followed her instructions carefully, obviously still slightly distrustful of letting someone see him as vulnerable.

She scribbled down her findings on his chart before turning around and prompting, "So...those are some pretty nasty bruises. I'd like to check them out, if you'd let me."

Kurt bit his lip and nodded his agreement. He dropped the gown and stretched out on the table, resting his face in the cradle of his arms, embarrassed about being so exposed.

"Kurt, I could step out if you wanted. I don't have to stay," Blaine said quickly, hoping to put Kurt more at ease. He didn't want to leave, but he'd do whatever it took to make Kurt comfortable. He was secretly pleased by how quickly Kurt's head lifted and turned toward him.

"No!" Kurt almost shouted. He quickly schooled his expression into something more neutral and responded, his voice now almost shy with embarrassment. "I mean...I'd like it if you stayed."

Blaine kept his tone and expression even, intent on not making a big deal out of Kurt's request. "Then I'll stay with you." He reached up and took one of Kurt's hands, a small smile on his face. He could feel Kurt relax as he slid his thumb across the knuckles of his hand.

The doctor prodded a couple of the bruises, obviously checking for something. Finally, she sighed and asked, "May I ask how you got those bruises on your thighs, Kurt?"

Kurt's eyes turned sad and his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Blaine was suddenly sure that he didn't want to hear what was coming next. Kurt didn't have to say it. Blaine knew. He squeezed Kurt's hand protectively, as though he could protect him from the memory.

"They're from my last owner," Kurt mumbled quietly, clearly embarrassed. "He was very rough."

Blaine's stomach rolled sickly at the words.

The doctor just nodded, her impression trained and impartial. "Blaine, I'm sorry, but could you step out for a moment while I talk to Kurt? I'd like to ask him a few questions."

Kurt's eyes flashed with anxiety, but Blaine gave him a peaceful smile and squeezed his hand. "It's okay, Kurt. I'll be right outside. She'll tell me as soon as I can come back in. I'm going to be right outside the door."

The other boy nodded hesitantly and Blaine stood up to walk out, closing the door behind him. He waited anxiously outside the room, pacing, as he wondered what was happening inside. He was pretty sure that she would insist on giving Kurt some sort of examination. Blaine was relieved by the thought. He knew that it would be embarrassing for Kurt, but ultimately, it was necessary. He just hoped that Kurt understood that.

Finally, the door opened. The doctor smiled gently and allowed Blaine back into the room. Kurt was sitting awkwardly on the table, now fully dressed.

"Well, it seems that Kurt as an upper respiratory infection, but it's nothing that a dose of antibiotics can't clear up. He's severely underweight, so I'd think about buying him some supplemental nutritional drinks to have along with his meals. Other than some scarring, I don't see anything permanent. I think he's going to be just fine." The doctor smiled and handed a small sheet of paper to Blaine, a prescription for Kurt's antibiotic, and left the room with a parting smile.

Kurt fell into step behind Blaine as he paid for the visit and the receptionist called in the prescription to the local pharmacy, holding the door on their way out. Blaine helped Kurt into the car and climbed in the driver's side. The other boy seemed almost relieved after the visit. He seemed relieved to know that there wasn't anything lasting. Physically at least.

"So, we'll go pick up your prescriptions and I'll drop you off at home. I'd like you to take your medicine and then lie down for a while. Just relax," Blaine said calmly.

Kurt nodded and let his hands rest against his lap. Blaine reached across the car and took Kurt's hand in a friendly, reassuring gesture. It seemed to relax Kurt. They rode in companionable silence as they went through the drive thru to pick up Kurt's medicine.

Blaine walked Kurt inside and helped him up the stairs, suggesting that he change out of his clothes and into a pair of Blaine's pajama bottoms and a t-shirt. Blaine turned down his own bed and gestured for Kurt to climb under the covers, handing him the remote as he settled onto his bed. "Pick whatever you want to watch, alright. I'm going to run downstairs and make you some toast so that you don't have to take your medicine on an empty stomach."

Blaine returned quickly with a small plate, sitting with Kurt as he ate, before offering him the pill and a glass of water. He took the glass when Kurt finished and set it on the nightstand.

"Just relax and I'll be back shortly, alright. I'm just going to get a few things. Is there anything special that you want?" Blaine asked, hoping that Kurt would actually ask for something.

He bit his lip anxiously. "C-Could you get me some ginger ale? My mom used to give it to me when I was sick and it always made me feel better." His voice was nervous as though he was awaiting some sort of rebuff. Blaine smiled widely and pulled Kurt in for a hug.

"I will be right back with food and ginger ale," Blaine said happily. He jotted his cell phone number down on the notepad by his alarm clock and set the cordless phone next to it with the instruction for Kurt to call him if he wanted or needed anything.

Kurt smiled and promised that he would. "Goodbye, Blaine. Thank you for all of this."

"You're welcome. And, you don't need to thank me, Kurt. I just want you to get better." He leaned down for another hug. "Goodbye, Kurt."

Kurt was just lying down on the bed as he turned to walk out the door. He shut the door tightly behind him even though he was sure that his parents wouldn't be home before he got back, if they came home that night at all.

He locked the front door behind him and walked down the small walkway toward his car. He glanced back toward the front door and breathed a sigh of relief. Kurt was inside. There was now definitive evidence that he was going to get better. The thought warmed Blaine to the core as he thought about the beautiful boy asleep in his bed, safe and peaceful.

-xXxXx-

Blaine finished shopping in record time. While he knew that Kurt was safe and sound, and probably asleep, at home, he was still anxious about leaving him there alone. He picked up food with Kurt's healing stomach in mind and rushed home, carrying all the bags inside on his first trip.

He set the bags in the kitchen and made a quick trip upstairs to check on Kurt. The sleeping boy was curled up, arm slid under the pillow. He looked warm and comfortable underneath the blankets. Blaine walked over to the bed slowly and brushed his fingers through Kurt's hair. He loved the way sleep relaxed his features into something calm and peaceful. For a moment, it was easy to forget all the torment that Kurt had endured.

Blaine rested his palm lightly against Kurt's cheek, smiling as he felt him nuzzle into it unconsciously. He checked the clock and figured that he could afford to let Kurt sleep for a little while longer. He gave Kurt's sleeping form a parting glance and left the room, walking slowly and quietly down the stairs.

Blaine turned on the small radio in the kitchen to fill the silence as he put away the groceries, stocking the cupboards with soups and other Kurt-friendly foods before turning to put away the bottles of Ensure in the refrigerator.

A pair of hands darted out to take the bottles from Blaine's hands. He nearly dropped them all as he let out a surprised yelp. His hand flashed to cover his heart as he spun around.

"Jesus Christ, Cooper. You scared the hell out of me!" Blaine threw out a playfully defensive smack in his brother's direction.

"Sorry, B," Cooper apologized in a mumble, his voice tense.

"What's the matter?" Blaine asked, worried. He hadn't heard his brother's voice sound like that in a long time.

Cooper frowned and leaned against the counter, his eyes hard and questioning. "Blaine, I talked to mom and she said that you'd gotten a worker. Is that true?"

Blaine sighed and nodded, but Cooper's eyes flashed with anger and he began speaking before Blaine had a chance to explain.

"What in the hell is the matter with you? I am so disappointed. I thought I raised you better than that, Blaine." His voice turned sad by the end.

"You don't understand, Coop. He'd been marked a reject. I had to help him. I couldn't just let him die." A flash of pain shot through Blaine at the mention of such a sensitive subject. "I didn't know what else to do. I've got to help him." Blaine could hear the desperation in his own voice.

Cooper seemed to relax a bit at the explanation. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Blaine's middle. Suddenly, Blaine felt as vulnerable as a child. The weight of everything came crashing down on him and he found himself sobbing out the entire story against his brother's shoulder.

He felt himself being led to the living room and pulled onto the couch, Cooper's arms securely around him as he explained everything. Finding Kurt curled up on the blankets, the bruises, the tears, every time Kurt would flinch away from contact. Cooper just held him tightly and whispered reassurances into his ear.

Blaine finally cried himself out and leaned away from his brother, sniffling and wiping his eyes with his hand. He could almost see Cooper's heart break at his expression.

"Blaine, I'm here now. It's going to be okay. We'll take care of him," Cooper promised, his voice earnest.

The younger boy sniffled again and reached out to hug the his brother. "T-Thank you, Coop. I've got to help him. I don't understand it, but there's just something about him that..." Blaine broke off. He wasn't sure what he the end of that sentence was.

Cooper gave him a small reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Blainey. It's going to be okay. Where is he?"  
"Upstairs. Asleep," Blaine said, pointing toward the stairs absently.

Cooper nodded knowingly. "Did you clean out my old room?"  
"Not yet. I've been really busy. He usually sleeps on the cot in my room, but he's in my bed right now. He took his antibiotic and fell asleep," Blaine offered.

"So you already took him to the doctor?" Cooper asked, more as a statement than a question.  
Blaine nodded.

"Let's go clean out my room so that he has a place to sleep at least," Cooper suggested, standing up.

Blaine bit his lip, suddenly not so sure that giving Kurt his own room would be a good idea. "Coop, I'm not sure that he'd feel comfortable having his own room. He's sort of _afraid_ of...being alone."

Cooper nodded again. "Well, why don't we get it cleaned out and let him choose. I'm sure, eventually, he'll feel comfortable enough to sleep on his own. I'll just crash there until then."

Blaine smiled and gave his brother a hug. He'd never been more relieved to feel as though he wasn't alone.

As they shifted the boxes into the hall, Blaine asked, "Do mom and dad know you're home?"  
"Yeah, I told them," Cooper answered flatly. "They're not going to be home until this weekend though. Jenkins invited dad to his ski retreat in Lake Tahoe or something."  
"Well, I'm glad they told you," Blaine remarked bitterly, lifting a box out of the way. "I'm glad they're not going to be here for awhile. I don't like how dad treats Kurt."

He explained all about his father's first interaction with Kurt and watched Cooper's face contort with disgust. "I hate that, Blaine. I don't understand how someone can think they're superior to another human being. It just—It baffles me."

The was a small shuffling coming from inside Blaine's room and both boy's eyes flickered toward the door, waiting for it to open. It didn't. Blaine set down the box he was holding and gestured for Cooper to follow him. He turned the handle on the door and pushed it open slowly, glancing inside and seeing Kurt sitting up in bed.

He motioned for Cooper to enter first. Blaine stood behind his brother and watched Kurt's eyes widen. He threw himself out of the bed and fell to the floor in a submissive gesture, covering his face as he cried, "I-I'm sorry. B-Blaine said it was okay."

Blaine realized the Kurt couldn't see him behind Cooper and quickly jumped out, lifting Kurt to his feet and guiding him back toward the bed. "No...No, Kurt, this is Cooper. My brother. He won't hurt you. I promise. I wanted you to meet him. He's going to be staying with us for awhile."

Cooper slowly stepped forward with his arm extended. "Hi, Kurt. I'm Blaine's brother, Cooper Anderson. Blaine told me about everything that's been going on. I'm here to help in any way possible."

Kurt's nervous eyes flickered to Blaine, who nodded his reassurances. Kurt slowly stuck out his hand and shook Cooper's. "T-Thank you. I'm Kurt Hummel."

Blaine decided to intervene, hoping to lead the conversation into a less tense direction. "I went shopping and I picked out a bunch of stuff that you can eat. I didn't forget your ginger ale. Why don't you come downstairs and I'll make dinner. The doctor said that you could start eating small portions of regular food, so I'm going to let you pick what you want."

A small smile touched Kurt's face, so Blaine stuck out his hand for the other boy to take. Kurt grabbed it quickly and allowed himself to be led downstairs.

Blaine suggested the Kurt rummage through the cupboards to see what he wanted to eat. The tall boy's eyes sparkled as he looked over all of the food. Of all the food he could have chosen, Kurt decided that he wanted grilled cheese sandwiches. Blaine laughed softly at the request. He had expected him to choose something more elaborate. It didn't seem like _Kurt_ to want something so unoriginal.

Cooper offered to cook while Blaine sat at the table and kept Kurt company.

"Like I was telling you, Coop pretty much raised me," Blaine said easily. "Then he moved to New York and got a job in a high powered law firm. You should see his apartment, Kurt. It's amazing!"

The older Anderson turned around from the stove and smiled at his brother. "Blaine usually spends the summer with me. Maybe you could come with him this year," Cooper offered, smiling as he plated three grilled cheese sandwiches. Blaine stood up to pour small glasses of milk for everyone.

Kurt's eyes suddenly lit up like Blaine had never seen them before. "New York? Y-You'd let me go to New York?" Kurt's voice was awed and dripping with disbelief.

Cooper and Blaine spoke simultaneously. "Of course."

Kurt's eyes sparkled like sapphires and a heart stopping smile spread across his face. "I've always wanted to go to New York," he whispered, his voice alight with excitement.

Cooper set plates down in front of their respective seats, helping Blaine with the milk before sitting down to eat. Blaine joined shortly after, setting a glass down in front of Kurt.

"Well," Cooper said, gesturing absently with the half sandwich he held in his hand. "We'll have to get you to New York then, won't we? I'll have plenty of vacation time by then to show you around, but I'm sure Blaine could do just as well as I could."

Kurt's face screwed up in confusion. "Show me around? But, I wouldn't be allowed to go into tourist attractions, and I doubt they'd let me on the subway."

Cooper was already shaking his head. "No, Kurt. New York isn't like Ohio. Slavery is illegal in the state of New York as of January 1st of this year. I should know, I was the one who fought for the bill to pass."

Blaine was nodding. "Coop's a lawyer and all the worker's advocacy groups in the city were trying to get him to take their case. They finally won. Didn't you see it on the news?"

"I-I wasn't allowed around the television," Kurt looked down, his eyes thoughtful. Finally he asked, "Illegal?"

Cooper nodded, smiling as he took a bite of his sandwich, swallowing before answering, "Yep. All slaves above the age of eighteen were automatically considered free citizens and the children and teenagers were removed from the houses and put into care facilities. I mean, it's not ideal, yet, but eventually."

Tears were brimming in Kurt's eyes as he contemplated Cooper's words. He chewed each bite of food carefully, his eyes distant and thoughtful.

Finally, Cooper stood up, taking his plate to the sink. "I know it's early, but I'm gonna take a shower and go to bed, I think. That drive is terrible." He stretched his arms above his head, leaning side to side in order to work his stiff muscles. "I'll take my old room tonight. I think we got enough cleaned out that I can actually close the door now."

Blaine smiled softly at his brother. "Night, Coop."  
"Night, Blainey. Goodnight, Kurt. It was nice to meet you."

Kurt looked up from his plate and gave Cooper a small smile. "It was good to meet you, too, Cooper. Goodnight."

As soon as Cooper disappeared from the room, Blaine took Kurt's hand, staring into his eyes with an earnest expression. "Kurt, I started thinking about something recently, and I won't do it unless you're completely okay with the idea. I'm not _telling_ you that this is how it's going to be, I'm asking for your input, okay? Nothing happens unless you agree."

Kurt nodded, his expression abruptly anxious. "What is it, Blaine?"

"Kurt, as soon as I graduate next year, I want to move to New York, and I want to take you with me."


	6. Chapter 6

Kurt's mouth fell open with an audible pop.

Blaine just continued. "Now, I could talk to Cooper and I'm sure he'd be okay with you going back to live with him a little early. As long as you're in Ohio, you're in circulation, but if you move to New York, you're free. Kurt, I don't want you to feel as though you have to stay with me. You have the option. We can figure something out."

Kurt continued to stare, his expression anxious. "I-I'm sorry. I don't think I understand."

"You have the choice of what you want to do here. You can either stay here with me in Ohio until I graduate and we can go to New York together or you can stay here in Ohio and not move. Or," Blaine continued, trying to explain it as simply as possible. "You can go now and live with Cooper. If you stay with him, then you won't even have to go to a facility. And, I'll be there as soon as I graduate."

It was obvious that Kurt was overwhelmed by the new possibilities. Two days ago, there had been nothing but hopelessness, no prospect of any future whatsoever, but now the possibilities were almost endless. He could be free.

Blaine gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "You don't have to decide now, Kurt. This isn't an 'act now or lose your chance' kind of deal. You can take all the time you need. Whatever you decide, we'll do. No matter what, okay?"

Kurt smiled softly and nodded, tears threatening to spill from his eyes, his expression unreadable. He squeezed Blaine's hand in return, but said nothing. He didn't have to.

After dinner, Blaine finally made good on his promise of a marathon with Kurt. They watched about four episodes before Blaine glanced at his phone, noticing the time.

"God, Kurt. It's already 11:30. I've got to go to bed. I don't think I can skip another day of school tomorrow," Blaine noted before asking, "Are you going to come to bed or do you want to stay up and watch a little more television?"

Kurt gave a small yawn. "I think I'll come to bed. I'm pretty tired, actually."

Blaine led Kurt into the kitchen, taking one of the bottles of Ensure from the refrigerator and setting it on the counter next to his antibiotic. "The medicine bottle says that you take one pill before bed and then one when you wake up. I figure the Ensure counts as taking the medicine with a small meal. Plus, you ate well at dinner, so you should be fine."

Kurt picked up the pill and swallowed it down with a mouthful of Ensure, his nose wrinkling in distaste. "Yuck."

Blaine laughed quietly. "I know, but you only have to drink them until you can start getting all your nutrients from food."

They walked up the stairs in companionable silence. Kurt seemed to be deep in thought, so Blaine didn't push him for conversation.

As Blaine was changing into his pajamas, he turned to Kurt. "Are you going to be okay here tomorrow with Cooper while I'm at school?"

Kurt looked up from turning down his cot, straightening up to answer. From the look on Kurt's face, he'd been anxious about asking this question for a while. "H-He won't hurt me?"

It sounded as though Kurt already knew the answer but needed to hear Blaine say it anyway. "Cooper would never hurt you, Kurt. He wants to help. Just like I do," he promised, climbing into bed.

Kurt listened and then nodded. "I'll be okay."

Blaine smiled in his direction, saying, "You _will_ be okay, Kurt. I promise. Cooper is the nicest person I've ever known. Just make sure to take your medicine when you get up, okay?"

"Okay, Blaine," Kurt answered softly, sounding more relaxed than he had. "Goodnight."  
"Goodnight, Kurt."

Blaine was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

It seemed like only seconds before his alarm was blaring in his ear to wake him up for school. He threw his legs over the side of his bed and scrubbed a hand across his face to wipe away the sleep in his eyes.

As he slowly woke up, his eyes flickered to Kurt's cot. He watched as the other boy's chest rose and fell with each deep breath, his face was relaxed with sleep. Blaine quickly and quietly gathered his school uniform and went to take a shower.

He filled his travel mug with coffee and headed out the door, still reluctant to leave Kurt with someone he regarded as a stranger. If it had been anyone else, Blaine wouldn't have thought twice about skipping another day of school to stay home, but it was _Cooper_. He knew that Kurt was in good hands and it made him feel better that he wouldn't be home alone all day.

By the end of fifth period, Blaine was so on edge that he could barely sit still. He tapped the eraser anxiously against his textbook until he received a "knock it off" smack on the arm from Jeff. He apologized with his eyes and found another way to silently fidget until the bell rang. He darted out of class and ran to the bathroom, shutting himself into one of the stalls and pulling out his cell phone.

He drummed his fingers against the back of the handset as he waited for his brother to answer.

"Hello?" Cooper's voice sounded a bit anxious.  
"Hey, Coop. How's Kurt?" Blaine asked in a rush.

Suddenly, on the other end of the phone, Blaine heard a trilling laugh followed by Cooper's throaty chuckle. Relief flooded through Blaine at the sound of Kurt's laughter.

"Kurt's fine, Blaine. He's right here. We're playing Pictionary. Turns out he can't draw an elephant," Cooper laughed again, the sound punctuated by another trilling laugh from Kurt. Blaine laughed out a high, relieved sound. "Did you want to talk to him?"  
"Y-Yeah. Could you put him on please?"  
"Yep. Hang on a sec."

There was a small shuffling sound of the phone changing hands before Kurt's voice came through.  
"Hello?" He greeted, his voice a bit hesitant.  
"Hey. Are you having fun with Cooper?" Blaine asked lightly.  
Kurt laughed softly. "Yes, we're having fun. He woke me up with breakfast and made sure I took my medicine, but then we got bored and watched a movie. Now we're playing a game."

Blaine could hear the smile in Kurt's voice as he recounted the events of his day. It felt as though Blaine could take a full breath for the first time that day. "That's great, Kurt. I'm glad you're having fun. I've only got one more class and then I'll be home, okay? I'm skipping practice today so I'll be leaving right after class ends."

"Okay, Blaine. I'll see you soon, then," Kurt said easily. "Did you want to talk to Cooper again?"  
"No. I've got to get to class. I'm kind of hiding in a bathroom right now. I'm already late," Blaine admitted. Kurt laughed quietly. Blaine was relieved to hear him in such good spirits.  
"Go to class, Blaine. I'm fine," he said softly, as though he knew that Blaine needed to hear it.

Blaine promised again to hurry home after class and hung up, rushing to make it to class before the teacher took attendance.

The bell finally rang and Blaine all but ran to his car, ignoring his locker completely and just throwing his textbook in the passenger's seat. He knew Kurt was fine and safe with Cooper, but it still made him anxious to be away from him for too long. He knew the feeling would fade as the memory of Kurt lying broken on the blanket became less vivid in his mind, but right now, he needed the reassurance that Kurt was real and breathing and alive.

He opened the door, shrugging out of his blazer, calling, "Coop? Kurt?"

Both voices answered in unison. "In the kitchen."

Blaine padded his way into the room, smiling as he took in the sight of both boys talking quietly over tea. Cooper pointed to the stove. "The water in the kettle is still hot if you want some tea, Blainey."

Kurt laughed softly and watched as Blaine made his way to the cupboard to get a cup. "Blainey?" He asked, a small giggle bubbling out.

Blaine smiled and turned to face Kurt. "He's called me Blainey since before I can remember. I hated it when I was little, but I've gotten used to it."  
"I like it," Kurt said, smiling toward Cooper. "I never had a little brother, but I'm sure if I did, I'd give him an embarrassing nickname like that."

Cooper threw his head back and laughed. "That's not the embarrassing nickname, actually."

Blaine spun on his brother. "Cooper, don't you dare," he threatened, his voice promising violence.  
Kurt's eyes flickered eagerly between the pair, a small smile playing on his lips.

A look of false innocence played across Cooper's face. "What's the matter, Squirt?"

Blaine's eyes narrowed and he threw the teabag he was holding at his brother's head. Cooper laughed and dodged the projectile. Blaine sighed as he realized that he had only hurt himself. He padded across the room dejectedly to pick up the bag that had missed Cooper by a mile, shooting the older boy a withering glare as he turned to walk away.

Cooper didn't even try to stifle his laughter. Kurt covered his mouth to hide his own fit of giggles as he watched Blaine bitterly making his tea.

"I think it's cute," Kurt offered, smiling softly and taking a sip of his own tea.  
"It _is_ cute," Cooper remarked quickly. "I gave it to him when he was a baby. He was always tiny, but I thought he'd grow out of it." Cooper laughed mockingly. "I guess he's not gonna though."

Blaine spun to give his brother another death stare. "Yeah, yeah...it's hilarious," he said flatly, dropping down into the seat next to Kurt. He wasn't able to hide the smile that tugged at the corner of his lips. "It's just embarrassing. He picked me up from school one day. He didn't even get out of the car. He just parked outside and shouted at me. 'Let's go, Squirt!'" Blaine mimicked his brother's voice.

"All my friends laughed. Did you know that Wes still calls me that sometimes? I'm never going to escape it," Blaine said, jokingly bitter, as he took a drink of his tea.

Cooper smiled vindictively and Kurt was laughing breathily against the palm of his own hand. Blaine just sighed, realizing that he'd get no sympathy from either boy. His lips twitched up into a smile and he leaned back in his chair, enjoying the peaceful moment.

-xXxXx-

Things were a little easier after that. The next couple of weeks passed without any _major_ incidents. Kurt had to be reminded sometimes that he didn't have to ask for permission to use the bathroom or get a drink, but slowly, he started to get it. Blaine actually started feeling comfortable about leaving him at home while he went to school. He'd still call to check in, but every time he called, Kurt would be watching a movie with Cooper or working on a new outfit.

Cooper had taken advantage of his recent victory to request a short sabbatical from work. All he had to do was drop a few indications that if he didn't get the time off, he'd go work for another firm that had been actively pursuing him, and he'd gotten the time off in a second.

Kurt was healing, physically and mentally. It was such a small thing that made Blaine notice that Kurt was actually starting to get better. On Wednesday, they'd been sitting at the table after Blaine got home from school as had become their routine, and Kurt gestured to grandly with his hand and knocked his water glass off the table, breaking it.

Blaine had braced for Kurt's reaction. He remembered how traumatic dropping a spoonful of tomato soup had been just a few weeks before. He fully expected Kurt to shut down, panicking over breaking the glass, but Kurt just jumped a bit, surprised, his hand flashing to cover his mouth. His eyes had flickered nervously to Blaine's face, but it seemed as though he relaxed quickly when he didn't find any anger on the other boy's features.

He'd apologized, his cheeks reddening in embarrassment, and offered to clean it up. Blaine could feel tears pricking in his own eyes as he stared, smiling, at Kurt. He leaned forward and very nearly pulled Kurt out of his chair with the force of the hug he gave him. Kurt had seemed confused by the sudden show of affection, but didn't flinch away.

Cooper had cleaned up the mess and poured Kurt a fresh glass of water and the incident was quickly forgotten.

By the time that weekend came, all three boys had fallen into a comfortable routine. They had been lounging on the couch watching television when Cooper suddenly spoke. "You know, Kurt," he said easily. "That cot can't possibly be comfortable. Why don't we switch for a while? After all, Blaine and I cleaned my old room out for _you_."

Kurt bit his lip and glanced back and forth between Blaine and Cooper, looking as though he was wracking his brain to figure out the right thing to say. Blaine could see how uncomfortable he was with the idea, but he didn't intervene. He wondered if Cooper could see it as well.

"I-I'm fine sharing a room with Blaine, Cooper," he said quietly, worrying his lip between his teeth anxiously. Blaine had never heard Kurt say anything that could even be remotely considered _arguing_ , so he stayed quiet. He hoped that Cooper would drop it, not push Kurt into doing something he wasn't comfortable with.

Cooper didn't relent. "Come on, Kurt. Let me take the cot and you move into my room. You'll be more comfortable in your own room."

"A-Alright." Kurt cast his eyes to his lap, frowning and shifting uncomfortably, clearly relenting. It was clear that he was only giving in because he had been trained not to argue. Blaine finally stepped in.

"Coop, if he doesn't want to switch rooms right now, then he doesn't have to," Blaine asserted, squeezing Kurt's hand reassuringly. The other boy continued to look tense, but the set of his shoulders relaxed slightly.

"Blaine, he's got to get out of your room eventually-" Cooper started, but Blaine cut him off mid-sentence with a harsh glare.  
"Not until he's ready," Blaine interrupted, his eyes flashed with anger.

Kurt squirmed in his seat. "I'm ready now," he said quickly, clearly uncomfortable with the tension between the brothers. "Blaine, it's okay. I'll take Cooper's room."

He was working to appease everyone and calm the situation. Blaine wanted to argue, but the defeated slump of Kurt's shoulders made him think twice. He didn't want to cause Kurt anymore discomfort.

Blaine shot a withering glance at his brother to show just how _not okay_ he was with this plan.

That night, Blaine had walked Kurt to his room, stopping just outside the door and taking both of the other boy's hands into his own. "Kurt, if you don't want to do this, just tell me. You can stay with me as long as you want."

Kurt gave Blaine a smile that looked _almost_ genuine. "It's okay, Blaine. Goodnight."

Blaine sighed deeply and pulled Kurt into a tight hug. "Goodnight, Kurt. If you need anything, I'm right across the hall, okay? Don't even hesitate to wake me up." Kurt nodded in response, squeezing Blaine's hands gently before closing the door.

Blaine walked to his bedroom, defeated. He didn't want to leave Kurt alone. He knew that it was ridiculous to think that Kurt couldn't handle sleeping on his own. He'd been through so much more than that. Blaine just couldn't help the feeling of foreboding that he felt as he watched Kurt close the door behind him.

He knew that, even if he hadn't wanted to sleep alone—which Blaine was almost sure that he didn't—Kurt would have never said anything to argue with Cooper. His eyes flickered to where his brother slept on the cot. He wished that Cooper hadn't said anything, had just left things as they were, because something just felt _off_ about not having Kurt asleep on the cot. It made Blaine tense, nervous.

He pushed the feeling aside as he climbed into his own bed. Kurt was right across the hall. He knew that Kurt was fine now and he was sure that he'd be fine in the morning, but his brain conjured up all sorts of ridiculous impossibilities ranging from house fire to zombie apocalypse as he slowly drifted to a worried, uncomfortable sleep.

Blaine sat bolt upright in his bed trying to figure out why he was awake. He checked the clock, it was barely three in the morning. Suddenly, he realized what had woke him up as a terrified scream pierced the quiet stillness of the night. He threw his legs over the edge of the bed and bolted for Kurt's room, throwing the door open.

The sleeping boy was curled in the bed with his hands covering his face defensively as he thrashed back and forth, quiet, half-formed pleas poured from him, his voice shaky with tears. Anger flashed through Blaine and he had the sudden desire to go drag Cooper from the cot and make him come see what he'd done. Another strangled cry pulled Blaine from his anger and he crossed the room, climbing into bed beside Kurt, wrapping his arms around the other boy protectively.

"Kurt, hey, wake up," he said softly, shaking the terrified boy gently to wake him. Blue eyes suddenly flew open to meet his own.

Kurt instinctively tried to pull away, still half-asleep. He begged Blaine softly, his voice still thick with sleep and terror. "P-Please, no," he sobbed, shifting in Blaine's arms.

Blaine held him closer, rocking him gently. "You're okay, Kurt. You were having a nightmare."

Slowly, a bit of recognition dawned on Kurt's face. "I-I'm sorry..." he choked out.

Blaine cut him off with a soft shush, burying his chin in Kurt's hair as he rocked him. "It's okay. I've got you."

Kurt buried his face in the crook of Blaine's neck and sobbed brokenly. Blaine just whispered soothing nonsense into his ear and rocked him until he felt Kurt's body start to relax. "You're okay, Kurt. It was just a dream. They can't hurt you anymore. I'm here."

Kurt pulled back to look at Blaine's face, his blue eyes brimming again with tears. He said nothing, but stared deeply into Blaine's eyes as though he was looking for something, his face relaxing when he apparently found whatever he'd been looking for. He tucked his head down and nuzzled back into the hollow of Blaine's shoulder.

"Would you like me to stay with you tonight?" Blaine asked softly, hoping beyond all hope that Kurt said yes. He didn't think he could stand the idea of leaving him alone. He was terrified that the nightmares would come back.

Kurt pulled back, biting his lip. Blaine could feel Kurt's grip on the front of his t-shirt tightening. It was all the answer he needed. Blaine pulled Kurt closer. He had no idea how to actually hold someone, but he did his best. He slid under the blankets, pulling Kurt to his side. Kurt was already half-asleep again as he rested his head against Blaine's chest.

Holding Kurt didn't feel as awkward as Blaine had been expecting. It actually brought him a strange sense of comfort knowing that Kurt was warm and sleeping against his side, wrapped protectively in his arms. He let his fingers card through Kurt's hair as he felt the other boy's head nuzzling sleepily against his chest. Warmth flooded through Blaine's veins at the action, feeling gloriously comfortable and _needed_.

He squeezed Kurt impossibly tighter and drifted off into the first peaceful sleep he'd gotten in a long time.

The sun filtered through the curtains as Blaine felt himself waking up. He felt a little too warm and had to fight the desire to distance himself unconsciously from the source. As he felt himself waking up, he remembered what the source was. He instinctively pulled Kurt's sleeping form closer to his side, pleased that the other boy hadn't actually moved much.

He knew he should probably wiggle free of Kurt's hold to avoid a potentially awkward situation once he actually woke up, but he couldn't bring himself to actually do it. It felt too perfect to just _be_ like that, Kurt sleeping peacefully, knowing he was safe in Blaine's arms.

Blaine lay, content, watching Kurt's shoulders rise and fall for what felt like an eternity, feeling oddly comforted by the motion. It was his proof that Kurt was okay, at least for now. Eventually, Kurt began to stir and Blaine reluctantly began to slide away, hoping to put some distance between them before Kurt woke up and felt embarrassed.

Much to Blaine's surprise, as he tried to move away, Kurt pulled him back and nuzzled closer into his side. He knew it was an unconscious action, but it still made his stomach flutter, a small smile playing on his lips.

Slowly, Kurt's eyes fluttered open, his blue eyes sleepy and innocent.

"Hey," Blaine said softly. "Did you sleep well?"  
"Mhm," Kurt hummed sleepily, rubbing his eyes. It was nothing short of adorable. Blaine couldn't help the soft chuckle that escaped him.

Blaine could see realization finally touching Kurt. His pale cheeks suddenly flushed red with embarrassment and he tried to put a bit of distance between himself and Blaine, self-consciously whispering, "I'm sorry..."

Blaine pulled him back to his side to show that there was no need for an apology. He avoided the topic altogether. "How are you feeling?"

Kurt smiled softly. "Better, thank you," he said lightly.

Blaine returned the smile, laughing out an awkward sound. "Well, now that we've tried this Cooper's way, I think you'll be sleeping in my room tonight."

A self-conscious laugh slid past Kurt's lips. "I-I think that would be best."

-xXxXx-

Cooper looked sheepish at breakfast as he apologized to Kurt. "God, Kurt, I didn't even think about nightmares. I'm so sorry."

Kurt waved a hand dismissively in the older boy's direction. Blaine bit his tongue, repressing his anger. If Kurt was willing to forgive Cooper, then he should let it go. But there would be _no_ argument. Kurt would be sleeping in his room that night, even if Blaine he had to resort to violence to make it happen. By the look on Cooper's face, that wouldn't be necessary.

Their parents came home around noon, hugging Cooper quickly before rushing to pack another bag.

Mrs. Anderson dug through the closet to find her sun hat as she explained how they'd received a last minute offer to join Mr. Byron and his alcoholic wife for a few weeks in Hawaii. Cooper and Blaine had just sighed and wished them well on their trip. It was nothing new. Neither boy mentioned that the trip would coincide with Blaine's birthday. It wasn't the first they'd missed and Blaine was sure it wouldn't be the last.

Their parents had bid them goodbye and hustled out the door to catch their flight.

As the car pulled out of the driveway, Cooper wrapped his arm around Blaine's shoulder and pulled him to his side. "Don't worry, B," he said, his voice comforting. He hugged Blaine's slumped shoulders, guiding him inside and shutting the door. "We'll have a party. Just the three of us."

Kurt looked up from the magazine he was reading, his eyes flitting hopefully between the brothers. "What's this about a party?" He asked quickly, his voice eager.

"Blaine's birthday is on Tuesday," Cooper answered, smiling widely.

Kurt's eyes flashed to Blaine. "Why didn't you tell me?" He asked, his voice sounded almost affronted. "I would have..."he trailed off, his face screwing up in thought. He crossed his arms. "Well, I don't know what I would have done, but I would have done _something_."

"Well," Cooper offered. "You could help me make his cake, if you wanted."

Kurt's entire face lit up and he clapped his hands together once. Blaine laughed quietly at the display.

"Do you like to cook, Kurt?" Blaine asked, his voice cheerful and inquisitive.

"I love to cook," Kurt enthused. "I used to cook for my dad because of his heart." His voice turned sheepish as he continued. "I'd actually like to cook for _you_. If—If that would be okay." He dropped his eyes to his lap as though he was still half expecting some sort of rebuff from the question.

Blaine and Cooper smiled at the timid expression before Cooper spoke. "Well, looks like we figured out who's cooking dinner tonight," he chuckled.

Kurt threw himself out of his chair and toward the cupboards. He hummed softly as he gathered ingredients. Blaine excused himself to do homework. He padded into his room and tossed himself onto his bed, opening his borrowed copy of The Great Gatsby and reading a record-breaking _five_ lines before getting bored and daydreaming.

He wondered idly if Kurt would have another nightmare tonight. Would he get to comfort him the way he did the night before. Another thought replaced that one and he suddenly found himself wondering why he had felt comforted by having Kurt asleep in his arms.

The sensation of holding Kurt, asleep and trusting, made warmth flood through his chest. It made him feel strong and needed to have Kurt trust and rely on him. To know that Kurt felt safe in his presence, in his arms.

Blaine jumped when he heard his name called from downstairs.

"Coming!" He called a bit too quickly.

By the time he made it downstairs, Kurt already had the food plated and served. He sat at the table in front of his own plate, smiling expectantly. Blaine returned Kurt's smile and sat down. Cooper was already eating, making small, satisfied sounds as he chewed.

Blaine slowly twirled a bit of pasta on his fork and took a bite. He was almost positive that Kurt wasn't breathing as he watched him chew and then swallow silently. A small smile touched Blaine's face. He decided not to drag it out any longer.

"Well?" Kurt asked, his voice eager and impatient.

Blaine smiled widely, reaching out to squeeze Kurt's hand. "It's absolutely amazing, Kurt. Beats the hell out of mine and Coop's cooking," Blaine enthused. Cooper nodded his agreement, smiling.

They ate the rest of the meal in companionable silence. Cooper and Blaine offered to do the dishes, suggesting that Kurt go take a bath and relax. Kurt seemed excited by the idea, so Blaine took him upstairs and showed him where all of the fancy bath oils and soaps were, instructing him to use whatever he wanted.

Blaine turned on the radio for Kurt before leaving. He figured he'd let Cooper handle the dishes and went to his room, throwing himself onto his bed. He listened to Kurt humming along with the radio. He tried to tune the sound out to be considerate and give Kurt some privacy, but the calm, happy sound wouldn't fade into the background.

It was like music to Blaine's ears to hear Kurt so at ease. It baffled Blaine just how quickly Kurt had taken all of this in stride. He been able to go from the beaten, broken boy on the blanket, barely clinging to life, to the new (almost) healthy, trusting Kurt in such a short time.

Blaine realized that the explanation was simple: Kurt Hummel is strong.

He was strong and trusting and determined to get better. Blaine smiled softly as he thought about Kurt. He was brave and caring, taking chances even though he was afraid.

A small smile touched his face as a thought occurred to him. Kurt Hummel was the closest thing he'd ever seen to a superhero. He was strong and brave and, even though he might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, Kurt Hummel was Blaine's hero.

Blaine jumped slightly when his phone rang, pulling him from his thoughts. He checked the caller ID and frowned at the name that appeared. Reluctantly, he pressed the button to accept the call and lifted the handset to his ear.

"Hello?" Blaine greeted.  
"Hello, Blaine. It's Sebastian. I was calling about our geography project."

Blaine rolled his eyes. He knew that the project was a convenient excuse. He cursed the teacher for pairing him with the overly-flirtatious boy. Sebastian continued on, undeterred by Blaine's silence.

"So, I was wondering if you'd like to get together for coffee and talk about it," he suggested, barely concealing the true meaning of the plan.

Sebastian had been coming on strong ever since he showed up and wanted to join the Warblers. He always seemed to be wherever Blaine was. Always claiming it to be a "happy coincidence". It got old fast.

Sure, Blaine had been flattered at first to have someone pursue him so strongly, but it was really starting to get tedious. There were only so many times that Blaine could tell him politely that he wasn't interested before he started to lose his patience.

Blaine pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger, resigned to the fact he was going to have to spend time with Sebastian in order to finish the project. "Sebastian, I don't think I can meet for coffee. Why don't we meet in the library tomorrow after school for a little while instead."

He heard the boy on the other end of the phone let out a frustrated breath, obviously not happy with having his plan deterred, but his voice was just as bright as always, fake and saccharine sweet. "Of course, Blaine. That sounds perfect."

"Alright," Blaine said, his tone final. He just wanted the conversation to be over. Sebastian, however, wasn't quite ready to let it end.

"So...how is everything going with that boy I hear you talking to all the time?" Sebastian asked conversationally.

Blaine's heart stuttered a beat, his breath hitching nervously. "W-What do you mean?"

Blaine wracked his brain to remember the conversations he'd had with Kurt while hiding in the bathroom. It only made sense that Sebastian would turn up there too. He only hoped he hadn't given too much away, hoped that Sebastian hadn't guessed that the boy Blaine had been talking to on the phone was a worker. If the other boy let that information slip to anyone of importance, Kurt could be taken away.

Sebastian didn't miss a beat with his reply. "I heard you on the phone a couple times with your 'friend'." Blaine could hear the air quotes in Sebastian's words. He swallowed thickly and willed himself to act nonchalant.

Blaine laughed out a noise that, even to him, sounded a little nervous. "Oh, him. He just lives with my family." He tried his best to sound dismissive, hoping it sounded convincing enough.

"Oh. Okay," Sebastian said, his voice sounding almost disappointed by the lack of gossip.

Instead of feeling relieved, Blaine was still tense. There was just something about Sebastian that seemed very devious. It was as though Blaine never really knew how much Sebastian actually knew. The thought terrified him. He couldn't jeopardize Kurt, but he couldn't think of anything to say to try and throw Sebastian off the trail. Instead, he left the situation alone, desperate to get off the phone.

Thankfully, he was given an out as the door opened and Kurt came into the room. "Well, it's getting pretty late. I think I'm going to go to bed. I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?" Blaine asked, his voice uneven and bordering on anxious.  
He could hear the sly smile in Sebastian's voice. "Of course, Blaine. Sleep well."

"Y-Yeah...you too," Blaine said awkwardly, ending the call and tossing his phone onto the bed, eyeing it nervously.

He took a deep breath and looked up toward Kurt; his mood immediately lifted.

Kurt padded into Blaine's room wearing the new pajamas Cooper had bought him, scrubbing a towel through his wet hair.

Blaine smiled softly at him and asked, "How was your bath?"

Kurt returned the smile and came to sit next to Blaine on the bed. The smell of shampoo and lavender washed over him with the closeness. The older boy slid back against the headboard and answered. "It was amazing!"

His voice was excited and a beaming smile lit up his face. It was enough to take Blaine's breath away. Kurt's smile was interrupted by a wide yawn that he tried to hide behind his hand.

"Why don't you try and get some sleep?" Blaine suggested softly, sliding a hand across Kurt's arm. "You didn't sleep so well last night."

Kurt's smile faded and he started to worry his lip between his teeth.

"Kurt, what's the matter?" Blaine asked anxiously.

The other boy's face was nervous and apprehensive. "I'm—I'm kind of scared," he admitted sheepishly, his voice tiny and whisper quiet.

"Tell me about it. What scares you?" Blaine worried, taking Kurt's hands in a comforting gesture.

Kurt's voice was still small as he explained. "During the day, It's okay most of the time, but at night, whenever I close my eyes I see..." he trailed off, worrying his lip and glancing at Blaine anxiously. It seemed as though he was hedging his answer for Blaine's benefit.

"What do you see?" Blaine prompted, his voice genuinely interested. When Kurt bit his lip instead of answering, Blaine continued. "Kurt, I want to know you. The good _and_ the bad, because, like it or not, both aspects have shaped who you are." He squeezed Kurt's hands. "And I _like_ who you are, Kurt."

A sad smile touched Kurt's face and Blaine felt Kurt squeeze his hand back. "You are amazing, Blaine. You always know what I need even when _I_ don't." He reached across the small space and wrapped his arms around Blaine, giving him a gentle hug, barely tightening his arms, just enjoying the closeness. "Thank you."

Blaine smiled and returned the hug, sliding a hand across Kurt's back. "If you don't want to talk about your nightmares, we don't have to, but know that I am _always_ here to listen." He gave the other boy's shoulder a comforting squeeze.

He pulled back slightly, looking into Kurt's eyes, bracing himself for asking a potentially awkward question. "W-When I was holding you last night, did that help? Did it help your nightmares?"

Kurt bit his lip, pausing for a moment as though debating whether or not to tell the truth. His expression was vulnerable and completely open. Finally, he nodded slowly. "T-They went away when you were there. When you were holding me...it was okay again."

Blaine's heart swelled and warmth shot through his chest. He felt tears threatening to escape his eyes at the admission. He wanted nothing more than for Kurt to be happy and safe and _okay_.

"Kurt, I will hold you every night if that's what will help you." Blaine promised earnestly, his eyes burning with pure honesty and emotion. He decided to leave it up to Kurt. He opened himself up completely, feeling more vulnerable than he'd ever felt as he asked, "Would you want that, Kurt?"

Kurt worried his lip as he thought about it. Slowly, he answered in a small nod. It was barely a full nod, but it was a yes. Blaine's heart kicked into overdrive. He honestly had no idea what he would have done if Kurt had rejected him. He didn't understand why it felt so necessary to make Kurt feel safe and cared for, but he didn't want to fight it.

Blaine smiled kindly, feeling almost high from the relief that flooded through him. He opened his arms as an invitation. Kurt moved closer and let himself be wrapped up in Blaine's arms, sliding closer to the younger boy's side, sighing out a contented sound.

Blaine clicked the light off and pulled the blankets over them.

"Night, Kurt," he said quietly.  
He heard Kurt hum softly as he felt him nuzzle sleepily against his chest. "Goodnight, Blaine."

They both fell asleep quickly, each comforted by the other's presence.

-xXxXx-

That was the routine for the next couple weeks. School and then home to Kurt and Cooper. (The only exception being Blaine's birthday when he'd been allowed to skip school and eat the cake that Kurt had made—a mind-blowing three layer chocolate cake that had become breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the next two days) It finally seemed as though things had reached a sort of equilibrium. It was comfortable.

At first, Cooper hadn't seemed too happy with the idea of Blaine and Kurt sharing a bed, but after seeing the way Kurt had begun to come out of his shell since, he finally gave it his blessing.

And Kurt _had_ begun to come out of his shell. So much so that Blaine began to worry less and less about leaving him alone. He finally seemed _okay_.

He would laugh freely and contribute more to conversations. It seemed like he finally understood that Blaine and Cooper honestly cared about him, that they saw him as a person and not a piece of property. It had taken more than a month, but it seemed as though Kurt was beginning to feel as though he _belonged_.


	7. Chapter 7

Blaine threw his arm out to silence the alarm, careful not to jostle Kurt as he slid out of bed. He showered quickly and made a mad dash to get to school on time. The rest of the day passed in a flash and, before he knew it, he was making up another excuse as to why he wouldn't be able to make Warbler's practice that day before rushing home.

Cooper laughed as he saw Blaine come flying through the door. "He's fine, B. He's in the shower."

Blaine's face screwed up into a disappointed pout and he padded dejectedly to his room, sitting down on his bed and sliding back against the headboard. He sighed and grabbed his music notebook from his bedside table, opening it to a clean page and rooting through his drawer to find a pencil.

He pulled his knees up to his chest and rested the notebook against them, quietly humming the song he'd been hearing in his mind all day as he scribbled the notes on the lines.

It was a simple song. It started out soft and hopeless and somber.

As it went on there's an air of repetition to it. The sadness repeated, but it began to war with a peaceful, calm melody that fights to overpower it. The somber music fades out, completely transitioned into the tranquil, easy melody. Another change in the song makes the whole tone of the song shift, a slow transition into an almost happy sounding tune.

When the song drifts to its close, a soft, subtle, hopeful chord, Blaine finally understands what it means for a piece to be _unfinished_ , because this piece isn't finished. Even though the melody is complete and all the notes are on the page, the story behind the song still goes on. The hopeful end to the song reflecting the true reality of the situation. The chord changes and the melody shifts all happened slowly, everything was agonizingly slow, but the peacefulness won out over the sadness, and the hopelessness had been replaced by hope for a future not yet written.

There would be more added to the story. Of that, he was sure. He looked forward to seeing how the story ended, but for the moment, he was still content to be patient.

Blaine set the notebook down on the bed and stood up, stretching his cramped legs. He went downstairs to the kitchen to find a drink and wait for Kurt to get out of the shower.

He waited downstairs for a few minutes, talking to Cooper, before getting restless and heading back upstairs. He walked into his room, surprised to find Kurt sitting on his bed shirtless. He looked as though he'd been getting dressed when he got distracted. He held Blaine's music notebook in his hand as he hummed along with the melody on the page.

"You can read music?" Blaine asked, his voice coming out a bit higher than usual with surprise.

Kurt looked up quickly, almost dropping the notebook in surprise. "I'm sorry," he apologized, the words coming out in a rush. "I saw it lying on the bed. I shouldn't have looked at-"  
"No," Blaine said quickly. "It's okay. I just—I didn't know you could read music. I guess it makes sense since you were in show choir."

Kurt's eyes were still glued to the notes on the page. "This is beautiful, Blaine," he said, awed. "Could you...I mean...will you play it for me?"

Blaine's eyes widened. Kurt had never requested _anything_ before.

"S-Sure, Kurt," Blaine said softly. He wasn't sure he would have been able to refuse even if he wanted to. Just hearing the words come from Kurt's mouth had sent his heart flying. His palms were sweaty and he was almost positive he was going to screw up somehow, but he found himself automatically moving toward his piano.

He patted the bench next to him, inviting Kurt to sit. The other boy obliged silently, watching as Blaine's fingers rested, shaking against the keys. Blaine took a deep breath and began. He was surprised by how smoothly his fingers slid over the keys, how fluid the melody sounded as it drifted from the piano. As the song drifted to its close, he let his hands fall from the keys to rest in his lap. He waited for Kurt to speak, but minutes passed in silence.

Blaine looked at Kurt's face and was surprised to see tears shining in his eyes, one sliding down his cheek silently. He automatically reached out to swipe it with his thumb. Kurt had been staring, transfixed, at the keys, but he slowly lifted his gaze to meet Blaine's. "T-That was amazing, Blaine," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "Does it have a name?"

Blaine nodded slightly before quietly answering, "The Boy on the Blankets'."

Kurt's eyes widened and more tears began to fall from his eyes as his hand flew to cover his mouth before it fell back to his lap just as quickly.

"'The Boy on the Bl—'" he broke off, his voice shaky. "M-Me?" Kurt pointed to himself weakly, his voice awed and whisper quiet.

Seeing Kurt's reaction to the song overwhelmed Blaine. Kurt looked so vulnerable and kind and absolutely, stunningly beautiful. He felt the tears in his own eyes spilling down his cheeks. His eyes flickered to the other boy's lips, and before he even realized what he was doing, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to Kurt's.

Kurt's lips were unmoving, but soft and yielding against his own. The sensation sent silent shockwaves through Blaine's body. He felt it from the fingertips to the tips of his toes. A quiet whine of surprise escaped Kurt's throat and suddenly, Blaine realized what he'd done. He pulled back as though he'd been electrocuted.

Kurt's face was a mask of shock, his eyes locked on Blaine's face.

Blaine's heart fell as he realized that he may have just obliterated the trust that Kurt had placed in him. He immediately started rambling in hopes of doing some sort of damage control. "Kurt, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to force anything on you like that. I'm-"

The words were cut off by Kurt suddenly coming to life and surging forward, wrapping his arms around Blaine's neck as he connected their mouths insistently. His hand flashed to rest against Kurt's cheek. Blaine melted as he felt Kurt's lips moving against his own, sucking lightly on his bottom lip before pulling away with a quiet _smack_.

Kurt leaned back, unwinding his arms from Blaine's neck slowly, bringing a hand to cover his mouth, his eyes wide and sparkling. Blaine's hand fell awkwardly from the other boy's cheek and landed against the piano keys, creating a discordant sound that made them both jump before dissolving into a fit of giggles.

Blaine sat as still as a statue and watched the light dance in Kurt's eyes, his own heart feeling as though it was about to take flight. Even through the euphoria of his first kiss, Blaine had to make sure that Kurt was _really_ okay.

"W-Was that—Was that alright?" He asked, reaching out instinctively to take Kurt's hand.

Another manic burst of giggles bubbled past Kurt's lips and he nodded, his face still lit up with a bright smile that was hidden behind his hand. The sound warmed Blaine to the core and there was nothing he wanted more than to kiss the other boy breathless.

Blaine let out a laugh that sounded manic and relieved all at once before leaning forward to rest his forehead against Kurt's, feeling more content than he could ever remember feeling. So many things clicked together at once. It was like snapping the final puzzle piece into place, finally revealing the picture in its entirety.

Suddenly, he realized why holding Kurt had felt so perfect, so natural. He understood why the sound of Kurt's laughter could immediately pull him from his darkest moods. He lifted his hand to stroke his thumb lightly across the apple of Kurt's cheek. "I-I think I've wanted to do that for a long time," he said, laughing out a breathless sound.

Kurt smiled and wrapped his arms around the back of Blaine's neck. His voice was barely a breath when he spoke, his eyes sparkling with emotion. "Thank you, Blaine."

Blaine was confused. "Thank you?"

Kurt smiled gently. "Even when I was in high school, I never felt like I _fit_ anywhere. People went out of their way to remind me that I was different, that I should be ashamed. And I was. I was ashamed of who I was. Then, I was put into circulation and passed around, I felt useless, worthless. I felt like I was nothing, like I didn't matter. But you...you saved me, Blaine. You saved me in more ways than you'll _ever_ know." Kurt's voice shook as he finished, a few tears escaping his eyes and sliding down his cheeks.

Blaine felt tears falling from his own eyes. His mind was blank, rendered empty under the weight of his own emotions. All he could do was stare at Kurt's face, truly realizing its beauty for the first time. He shook his head incredulously and pressed his lips to Kurt's softly before pulling away and whispering, "I love you so much."

Kurt inhaled sharply. "W-What?" He asked in a whisper.

Blaine realized what he'd said and his eyes widened, but, now that it was out, he wasn't going to take it back. "I love you, Kurt."

Kurt's breath hitched, his shoulders shaking. His expression was unreadable, but the pure emotion in his eyes made them sparkle. Blaine felt the breath be knocked out of him as he was one again struck by Kurt's beauty.

Tears were falling freely from Kurt's eyes and his breathing was ragged. "I-I love you, too," he sobbed, tightening his arms around the younger boy's neck. He pressed a soft kiss to Blaine's lips. "I love you, too."

-xXxXx-

The rest of the week had gone by in a dream. He had finally managed to convince Sebastian that it would be best for all parties involved if he just let Blaine finish up their geography project on his own. The preppy boy hadn't seemed pleased by the development, but he grudgingly accepted.

Blaine knew it would be stupid to think that the advances would finally stop, but since Sebastian didn't seem to know as much as Blaine had been afraid he did, he felt less apprehension about being completely straightforward and telling Sebastian that he was sorry, but there wasn't ever going to be anything between them.

As far as Blaine was concerned, everything had been all wrapped up, all the loose ends tied.

That Friday, Blaine had rushed home after school to find Kurt sitting in the living room, reading a magazine.

"Hey, Kurt," he'd greeted cheerfully, darting over to press a quick kiss against the boy's lips before returning to stand near the door to take his coat and shoes off, hanging them on the rack and going back to drop onto the couch next to Kurt, taking his hand and lacing their fingers. "What did you do all day?"

Kurt set the magazine down and gave him a quick rundown of his day. Blaine cursed the fact that Kurt couldn't leave the house to really go do anything exciting, but Kurt had just smiled and said that he already had more than he ever dreamed he'd have and leaned forward to kiss Blaine sweetly on the lips.

They stretched out on the couch, Kurt held securely in Blaine's arms, and watched a few episodes of the America's Next Top Model marathon. Blaine slowly began to feel less and less like himself and was starting to get a bit of a headache. He hadn't realized that he'd grown distant until Kurt's voice made him jump.

"Blaine, are you alright?" He asked, his voice worried.

Blaine wasn't sure what he looked like, but as Kurt turned around to look at his face, the other boy's features changed into a mask of concern. Kurt frowned and touched the back of his hand to Blaine's forehead. "You're burning up," he declared. "Come on, let's get you upstairs to bed."

Blaine let himself be led upstairs. He changed into the pair of pajama pants and a soft t-shirt that were tossed in his direction. Kurt turned down the bed and took Blaine's elbow, leading him toward the bed and helping him in.

Kurt smiled softly and pressed a kiss to Blaine's forehead as he pulled the covers up around him. "Goodnight, Blaine. I hope you feel better." He let his fingers card through the younger boy's curls, still smiling gently at the sick boy.

"Thank you, Kurt," Blaine said gratefully, squeezing the other boy's hand.

Another smile lit up Kurt's face. "I can take care of you too, you know," he said, playfully smug.

Blaine laughed and Kurt leaned down to kiss his forehead again. "Get some sleep, alright?"

Blaine nodded and settled into his bed. Even though he was beginning to feel as though he was hit by a truck, he didn't feel miserable. He felt cared for. It was enough to mask the discomfort of trying to sleep with a stuffy nose. He fell asleep quickly.

Before he knew it, he was being shaken awake lightly. As he drifted back toward consciousness, his head felt like it was pounding and his cheeks were a little too warm. He was definitely feverish because he felt himself shivering underneath the blankets. He slowly dragged his eyes open to see Kurt sitting on the bed, smiling softly down at him.

"I figured you'd be cold, so I made you some chicken noodle soup like my mom used to make for me," Kurt said, his voice gentle and soothing. He slid his fingers through Blaine's hair.

Blaine ate as much as he could, surprised that he could taste the food because of his cold. "This is amazing, Kurt," Blaine said, a still-sleepy smile on his face.

"I added extra seasoning so that you'd be able to taste it. I know how awful it is not to be able to taste food when you're sick." Kurt squeezed his hand. "Now, when you finish that, you're going to take these,"-He held up a packet of two green pills.-"And you're going to go back to sleep."

Blaine chucked quietly. "Yes, mom."

Kurt gave him a playful smack on the shoulder and handed him a glass of water. He swallowed the pills and Kurt left briefly to take his bowl downstairs. He came back, now changed into his own pajamas, turned off the light, and crawled into bed next to Blaine.

Blaine felt immediately comforted by the warm weight of Kurt pressing against his back. He felt the older boy's arm drape over his side and pull him closer. Kurt rested his chin on Blaine's shoulder, pressing a soft kiss to his neck. "Goodnight, Blaine," he whispered.

The younger boy felt himself already drifting toward sleep, warm and contentedly sleepy. "Mmm...night, Kurt," he mumbled sleepily.

Kurt began to hum softly and that was all it took for Blaine to fall into a comfortable sleep.

When he woke up, it was much too late in the day. The sun was at the wrong angle in the sky and he felt a bit disoriented from sleeping for so long. Otherwise, he actually felt better than he had the day before. The rest and medicine had really worked wonders.

He made his way downstairs to find Kurt cleaning up the living room. Blaine had immediately started to help only to be swiftly stopped and led to the couch with the firm instruction to not move. Kurt threw a blanket over Blaine's lap and handed him a magazine, promising violence if he even tried to do anything other than relax.

Kurt kissed his forehead and patted his cheek before getting back to his work. Blaine heard the sound of Cooper puttering around in the kitchen, probably cleaning there as well. He felt like a bum for not helping, but actually slightly feared Kurt's reaction if he got up and tried to assist.

Instead, he resigned himself to the couch, sighing as he opened the magazine to read about the latest exploits of whichever Kardashian was on the front cover this week.

Kurt hummed idly as he pushed the vacuum cleaner across the living room floor. Blaine lifted his feet so that Kurt could vacuum the floor under them but otherwise was undeterred from reading his magazine.

Neither boy was paying much attention to the television buzzing absently in the background, both having all but forgotten it was on as they went about their respective tasks. It wasn't until Blaine heard Kurt gasp loudly that he even looked up from what he was doing. As he took Kurt's unreadable expression, all color drained from his already pale face, that he realized that something was wrong.

"Kurt!" Blaine threw off his blanket and dove off the couch immediately, alarmed. Kurt stood frozen and unanswering, his eyes wide and locked on the television screen.

The sound of the vacuum was almost deafening in the tense atmosphere. Blaine quickly kicked at the switch with his foot, silencing it, as he grabbed Kurt by the shoulders and shook him, a bit too roughly. Tears were streaming down Kurt's face as he lifted his hand to point silently toward the screen.

Blaine was confused as he reluctantly tore his eyes away from Kurt to look toward the screen, growing even more confused by the fact that Kurt had such a reaction to a commercial for some guy running for congress. Kurt's hand was covering his mouth and Blaine felt him shaking beside him. He wrapped his arm around Kurt's waist and led him to the couch, helping him down.

Sobs were shaking Kurt's entire body as he cried, still not tearing his eyes away from the screen. Blaine felt helpless. He was just about to ask again, insist that Kurt tell him what was going on, when he heard the words come from the television.

"I'm Burt Hummel and together we _can_ make a difference."

Blaine panicked and clicked the television off, pulling Kurt tighter to his side. He honestly and truly had no idea what to say. God, he didn't even know where to start. Kurt was curled into his side, sobbing hysterically against his shoulder. Blaine had to get Kurt's breathing under control or he was going to pass out.

"Kurt, look at me." He pushed lightly against Kurt's shoulder causing him to lean back limply, still completely supported by Blaine's hand. Tears were flowing freely down his cheeks and the way he was hyperventilating looked almost painful. Blaine slid a hand across his back. "You need to calm down. I know it's hard, but I need to you relax, okay."

He tried to keep his tone soothing and gentle, but Kurt didn't seem to be able to control his emotions. Blaine pulled him close again, sliding an arm under the boy's knees and lifting him bridal style and carrying him quickly up the stairs before setting him on their bed and crawling in beside him.

Kurt curled up against his side, resting his head on Blaine's chest. Blaine wasn't totally sure what he was trying to accomplish, but he figured that the best thing to do was get Kurt to lie down. Kurt's breathing was still erratic, but it was slowing a little, so Blaine kept rubbing circles on the older boy's back and whispering soft shushes into the top of his hair as he rocked him gently.

The front of Blaine's shirt was soaked with tears and Kurt was trembling beside him. Blaine felt helpless. He'd never wanted to help _more_ but he was lost.

"Kurt...please...tell me what I should do right now," Blaine begged desperately. "I can't imagine what a shock this is to you, and I know that you're probably really confused, but please...let me help you." Blaine knew he was rambling but he couldn't help it.

Kurt sniffled quietly against the front of Blaine's shirt, wiping his eyes and casting his gaze to meet Blaine's.

"Kurt, what can I do?" Blaine pleaded.

The crying boy pressed a kiss to Blaine's chest through his shirt. "I think—I think I just need some time alone right now," Kurt whispered.

Blaine's heart broke at the request, but he was willing to do whatever it took to put Kurt at ease.

"Okay," he said quietly, nodding. He untangled himself from Kurt and went to get off the bed. Kurt grabbed his arm.

"I love you, Blaine," he said, his voice still thick with tears. He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to Blaine's lips, sliding his thumb across the younger boy's cheek.

A smile tugged at the corner of Blaine's mouth. "I love you, too."

Kurt gave Blaine's hand a parting squeeze before letting him slide it free. Blaine turned and slowly walked toward the door. He glanced back into the room a final time before leaving. Kurt had stretched back out on the bed, face down in the pillow. Blaine could feel his heart breaking to leave him. He wanted to go back and pull the boy into his arms and hold him until he was okay again, but he knew it was more important to respect Kurt's wishes. Even if he didn't want to.

He slowly closed the door behind him and trudged his way downstairs, dropping heavily on the couch. He noticed a flash of something blue and reached forward to grab, what turned out to be, a post-it note stuck to the coffee table.

_Gone out for a little while to get dinner with Amy. I'll probably be late, so don't wait up.  
-Cooper_

Blaine sighed and crumpled the note, tossing it back onto the table in frustration. It figured that Cooper would pick _today_ of all days to hook back up with an old girlfriend. He eyed the balled up piece of blue paper and felt guilty for making a mess on the table that Kurt had just cleaned, so he sighed and picked it up, taking it to the kitchen trash can.

He busied himself briefly with picking up the vacuum from where Kurt dropped it on the floor, but even that didn't take as long as he'd hoped. He dropped back down on the couch and sat anxiously, straining to hear any sounds coming from upstairs. There were none. He sighed deeply and threw himself against the back of the couch, miserable.

As his eyes landed on his laptop, a plan formed in his mind. He picked up the computer and opened it, waiting anxiously as it booted up. He quickly pulled up Google and took a deep breath before typing in, "Burt Hummel".

-xXxXx-

Kurt hadn't come out of their room for the rest of the night. Still wanting to give him his space, Blaine curled up on the couch and fell into an exhausted sleep.

He woke up early the next morning (too early) to the feeling of someone watching him. His eyes fluttered open to meet Kurt's soft blue ones, illuminated by the glow of a lamp. There was a sheepish smile on Kurt's face. "Hey," he said shyly.  
Blaine smiled sleepily. "Hey." He stretched and reached up for Kurt. The taller boy laughed softly and sat down on the edge of the couch next to Blaine.

Blaine shook his head and pulled Kurt down beside him, pulling Kurt flush against him. "How'd you sleep?" Blaine asked, pressing a kiss to the back of Kurt's neck.

"I'm not sure if I did. The bed felt too empty. I missed you," Kurt said honestly, shrugging. "I'm sorry."  
"Kurt, don't apologize. You needed your space. I can't imagine finding out something like that and being perfectly up for company," Blaine reassured.  
"But you're not company. You're _Blaine_ ," Kurt said, smiling sadly.

Blaine wasn't totally sure what it meant to be _Blaine_ , but the thought that Kurt gave him a special classification made his stomach flutter. He kissed Kurt's shoulder. "Well, whether I'm _Blaine_ ," -He mimicked Kurt's reverent tone- "Or not, I'm glad that you felt comfortable enough to tell me that you needed your space."

"Well," Kurt hedged, a small smile playing on his lips. "I don't need my space anymore." He stood up and held a hand out to Blaine. "Come to bed?"

Blaine grinned widely and took Kurt's hand, allowing himself to be led upstairs.

When he woke again, the sun was up. Kurt was still asleep at his side. He pressed a soft kiss to the sleeping boy's forehead and carefully rolled out of bed. He dressed silently and snuck out of the room. He left a note for Cooper and Kurt saying that he was going out for a little while and grabbed his keys from the bowl.

-xXxXx-

Blaine looked down quickly to the post-it note he held in his hand, checking the address he'd scribbled on it, despite the fact that the sign in the parking lot read "Hummel's Tire and Lube". He straightened his shirt and cut the engine, sighing deeply as he opened the car door.

He pulled his coat tighter to shield himself from the biting wind as he made his way to the building, taking a deep breath as he reached down to grab the handle and swing open the heavy, metal door. He suddenly realized, as he stepped inside, he had no real plan as far as what he was going to say. He cursed his lack of planning and was just debating on leaving, deciding to come back later when he had a plan, when a tall, dark-haired boy, who looked not much older than himself, approached him, wiping his oily hands on his coveralls.

"Can I help you?" He asked politely.

Blaine bit his lip anxiously, trying to figure out exactly what it was this person (who, according to the name tag affixed to the front of his coveralls, was named _Finn_ ) could do for him.

Finn cocked his head to the side, waiting.

"Oh yes, I was wondering if Burt Hummel was here," Blaine said, trying to keep his voice businesslike. He was pleased by the way it only shook slightly, not completely betraying the fact that he was in _way_ over his head.

The tall boy nodded, obviously pleased that Blaine wasn't mentally deficient in some way. "Yeah...he's in his office. Do you want me to go get him?"

Blaine shook his head lightly. "Actually, would it be alright if I went in and spoke with him? It's sort of a private conversation."

Finn nodded and gestured for Blaine to follow.

They stopped just outside a dark blue metal door with a cracked square of frosted glass toward the top. Finn rapped on the door. "Umm...Burt, someone is here to see you."

There was a soft sound of acknowledgment followed by an uncoordinated shuffling before the door swung open, revealing the same man from the commercial. Blaine was relieved by that much. At least he had the right person. Even if he didn't know what the hell he planned to say to him.

Finn rocked back on his heels awkwardly and ran a hand through his hair, mumbling something about getting back to work before disappearing, apparently feeling the tension radiating from Blaine.

Burt gestured for Blaine to come inside the small office. He dropped down into a chair and watched the older man return to his seat behind his desk.

"What can I do for ya kid?" Burt asked, a diplomatic smile on his face.

Blaine shifted in his chair uncomfortably, taking a deep breath before beginning. "Mr. Hummel, my name is Blaine Anderson, and I was wondering if you knew someone by the name of Kurt."

The man stiffened in his seat, his back ramrod straight. His face was unreadable. "How do you know Kurt?" He asked sharply.

Blaine became animated quickly. "Sir, I just wanted to let you know that Kurt is safe now. He...well...he wasn't for awhile, but he's okay now," Blaine said, his voice barely above a whisper. He couldn't ever remember being so nervous.

"Where is he?" Burt demanded, his voice raising.

"H-He's at home. I bought him from an auction and-" Blaine broke off as he saw Burt's face contort with rage. "I promise you, Mr. Hummel, he's perfectly fine now. He's at home, probably forcing my brother to watch Project Runway." Blaine smiled softly at the thought, momentarily forgetting the tension in the room.

Burt seemed to be hung up on something else though. "What to you mean he's perfectly fine _now_?"

Blaine let out a deep sigh and leaned forward, folding his hands in his lap. "Mr. Hummel, since Kurt was put into circulation-" Both he and Burt winced at the word. "He hasn't—Well he hasn't had the best owners. He won't tell me very much about it, but from what I can piece together, it was hell."

Blaine considered, for a moment, just how much he wanted to tell Burt about Kurt's past condition. He resolved that, if Kurt had been his son, he'd want to know everything.

"When I bought him, he'd just been marked as a reject." Blaine heard a sharp intake of shaky breath but continued anyway before he lost his nerve. "He was curled up on a blanket. He was...God, he was so skinny. He looked like he could break at any second. I was afraid to touch him." Blaine's voice was sad and thoughtful. "But I brought him home and I've been helping him. He's almost back up to a normal weight and I really think he's going to be okay."

Burt's face was a mask of distrust. "Why are you treating him so well? What do you plan to do when he gets healthy again?" Burt asked, his voice thick with cynicism and barely concealed anger. He obviously thought that Blaine was just fattening Kurt up so that he'd be a better worker.

"Sir, I care about Kurt. I-I love him. You have to believe me when I say that I would never, ever hurt him. My brother and I are looking after him. We're taking care of him. But, he misses you. Until very recently, he thought you were dead," Blaine said, genuine concern in his voice. "I'd like it very much if you were a part of his life again. All I want is for Kurt to be happy."

The silence stretched on but Blaine began to feel less afraid so he continued. "Mr. Hummel, I know that this situation is less than ideal, but I know it would mean so much to Kurt if we found a way to make this work. He loves you so much, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that you can be a part of his life."

There were tears in Burt's eyes when he finally spoke. "I-I assumed that was what happened to him. I went looking for him, trying to get him back, but no one keeps records of that sort of thing." Blaine nodded sympathetically as the man continued. "But...He's—He's safe with you?"

Blaine nodded seriously. "Yes, sir. I'd never do anything to hurt him. Your son is the strongest person I've ever known. He's been through so much and it doesn't even seem to slow him down. I'm beginning to see that it may have been an inherited trait, actually." Blaine gave a small smile to Burt. He returned it. "He doesn't know I'm here. Yesterday, when he found out that you were alive, he looked so lost and helpless that I needed to do something. I couldn't _not_ try and make everything okay. He wouldn't let me help him. He shut himself in the bedroom saying that he needed to be alone."

Burt nodded, his lips quirking into a slight smile. "Yeah, he gets that from me."

Blaine gave a small smile before continuing, his voice even and thoughtful. "Now, I'm not really sure how to go about this without attracting too much attention, but I would love it if you came over for dinner or coffee. Just to spend time with Kurt." Blaine wanted to make himself absolutely clear. "My brother and I would make ourselves scarce, so it's not like a supervised visit or anything."

A weathered smile touched the man's face. Clearly, he was beginning to accept the concept that he was going to be able to see his son, no strings attached.

Blaine suddenly got an idea. "Would you like to talk to him?"

Burt's eyes lit up in a way that made him look years younger. Blaine returned his smile and reached into his pocket to retrieve his phone, quickly dialing his home phone number. Cooper answered after a couple rings.

"B, where are you? Kurt's been looking-" He asked, mild anxiousness making his voice come out a tad higher than usual.  
"Coop, please, it's important. Put Kurt on," Blaine said quickly, brushing off Cooper's worry.

There was a quiet shuffling as the phone changed hands. Kurt's soft voice came through the receiver.

"Blaine? Where are you? I woke up and you were gone." Kurt sounded worried.  
"I'm okay, Kurt. I—Well, there's someone here who'd like to talk to you. Would that be okay?" Blaine asked, his voice gentle.  
"O-Okay," Kurt answered hesitantly.  
"Alright, hang on." Blaine smiled softly at Burt and passed him the phone.

The man cleared his throat. "K-Kurt?" He greeted shakily, sounding anxious and excited all at once.  
Blaine could swear he heard Kurt's intake of breath followed by a rush of words he couldn't quite make out.  
Burt chuckled low in his throat. "Yeah, it's me, buddy."

He did his best not to listen to the conversation, wanting to give them as much privacy as possible.

There was a pen and a scrap sheet of paper lying on the desk, so Blaine grabbed it and scribbled down his home phone number, pushing it toward Burt.

Burt's eyes flickered between Blaine and the phone on his desk. "Kurt, give me two seconds, alright. I'm going to call you from my own phone." A pause. Blaine could hear Kurt saying something, and Burt's face lit up. "Yeah, love you, too, buddy."

Burt pushed Blaine's phone back toward him.

Blaine smiled, tucking the phone back inside his coat pocket. "Just...talk to Kurt about coming over, alright. You two set something up. We can make this work," he said with determination. "This _will_ work."

Burt stood up and stuck his hand out toward Blaine. "Thank you, kid. You'll never know what this means to me. So, just...thank you."

Blaine reached out and shook the man's hand. "I love your son, sir. I'd do anything to make him happy."

The older man took a deep breath and let it out in a gust, squeezing Blaine's hand as though he was trying to convey words that seemed to be escaping him. After a long moment, Burt spoke, slow and serious. "I'm glad he found you, Blaine. You're a good man."

Blaine gave the man a tight smile and thanked him before quietly making his exit as Burt lifted the phone to his ear and quickly dialed the number Blaine had written on the paper.

-xXxXx-

When Blaine got home after the two hour drive from Lima back to Westerville, Kurt dove into his arms the moment he stepped through the door.

"I love you so much, Blaine!" Kurt exclaimed, surging forward to connect their lips. He whispered I love you repeatedly against Blaine's lips, each declaration punctuated by a kiss.

Blaine laughed and took Kurt's hand. "I love you, too." He led them to the couch. "So, when is your dad coming over?"

Kurt's face lit up in a blinding smile. "Tonight. He's coming over right after work."

Kurt clapped his hands and squealed before kissing Blaine on the lips with a loud smack and darting off to the kitchen, talking to himself rapidly about what to cook.

Before long, Kurt was singing to himself as he flitted eagerly around the kitchen, measuring ingredients and preheating ovens. Blaine just sat in a kitchen chair and watched with a rapt expression, struck again by just how amazing Kurt is.

Images of the broken, quiet, withdrawn boy Blaine had saved who had been only a few hours away from death flashed in his mind, hitting him like a punch to the stomach. That boy had lost all hope, had accepted the fact that he was going to die, cold and sick. That boy had gone to sleep each night not knowing what sort of pain the next day would hold, whether or not he'd be allowed to eat, whether or not he'd have to have his body subjected to whatever his owner wanted.

The person Blaine saw dancing around his kitchen was not that boy. There was hope in this boy's eyes. He knew he was going to go to eat the dinner that he'd made without anyone rationing it out to make sure he didn't get "spoiled", he'd get to go to sleep in a bed, safe in Blaine's arms, optimistic of what would happen in his future. This boy had a future.

Blaine felt tears forming in his eyes as he continued to silently watch Kurt. He couldn't tear his eyes away from where he was gracefully flitting around the kitchen, gathering ingredients for whatever complicated meal he was planning for tonight. Kurt's eyes kept flickering to meet Blaine's, a bright smile on his gentle face.

Cooper came in and watched the scene in confusion. He sat down across from Blaine and asked what was going on.

Blaine cleared his throat, hesitantly looking away from Kurt. "We're going to have to find somewhere else to be tonight, Coop. Kurt's father is coming over for dinner." Blaine loved the little smile that touched Kurt's face at the words.  
"His father?" Cooper's eyes went wide. "Blaine, that's dangerous. His father is pretty high-profile, running for congress and all."

Blaine sighed. "I know, but it's going to be okay. He's coming over directly after work. No one knows he's coming and he's going to use the back door." Blaine dropped his voice and gave his brother a serious look. "This is very important, Cooper. Do _not_ ruin this for him."

Cooper let out a deep exhale and held up his hands in surrender. "I hope you're right. I just don't want anything to put Kurt in danger. I know how important his father is to him, but this could end very badly, Blaine." Cooper kept his voice low. Even if Kurt had been paying attention, he wouldn't have heard.

"I promise, everything will be okay," Blaine assured. He knew he should be worried, but he wasn't. The victory of bringing Kurt together with his father was too perfect to spend any time worrying.

Around six o'clock, Cooper and Blaine took off to go out to get dinner and see a movie.

Blaine had pulled Kurt into his arms tightly before leaving. "Have fun with your father tonight, sweetheart." He kissed the tip of Kurt's nose sweetly. "I love you."

Kurt smiled widely and kissed Blaine on the lips. "I love you, too. You'll never know how much this means to me."

Blaine took Kurt's face between his hands and kissed him, allowing a moment of indulgence to just let their lips slide together, warm and loving, before Cooper appeared in the room and cleared his throat, a devious smile on his face. "Come on, lover boy. We're going to miss the movie."

Blaine laughed and pressed another quick kiss to Kurt's lips before following his brother out the door.


	8. Chapter 8

By the time Blaine and Cooper got home, it was after midnight and all the lights were off. Blaine stumbled his way upstairs and found Kurt already asleep in bed. He'd been anxious to hear how Kurt's meeting with his father went, but apparently it wasn't going to happen tonight. Blaine crossed the room to press a quick kiss to Kurt's forehead before heading to his dresser.

He changed into his pajamas and silently slid into bed next to Kurt. He pulled the sleeping boy close and fell asleep quickly. Apparently, far more exhausted by his day than he'd originally thought.

The smell of coffee woke him up. His eyelids dragged open and he stared blearily at the numbers on the alarm clock; it wouldn't go off for another twenty minutes. He scrubbed his hand across his face and slowly sat up, groaning as he stretched.

"I'm sorry," Kurt whispered quietly. "I didn't mean to wake you up."  
"'s fine," Blaine mumbled, rubbing his eyes before opening them to look at Kurt, already fully dressed and sipping from his coffee cup. Kurt sat cross-legged at the desk, no doubt working on the design for his latest outfit. He stood up and padded over to Blaine, dropping down next to him and offering him the cup of coffee in his hand.

Blaine mumbled his thanks and took a sip. Kurt carded his fingers through Blaine's hair, watching him drink, a small, adoring smile on his face. He lifted Blaine's chin with a finger and pressed a soft kiss to the sleepy boy's lips.

"Good morning," Kurt said, smiling. He giggled quietly. Blaine smiled and made a soft, questioning noise. "Your lips taste like coffee," Kurt said, his voice full of adoration. He slid his thumb across the apple of Blaine's cheek.

Blaine chuckled softly and let his lips brush against Kurt's, content and totally lost in the moment. "Mmm...love you," he mumbled against the other boy's lips, warmth flooding through him as he felt the way Kurt's lips turned up into a smile against his own.  
"Love you, too." His voice was soft and quiet.

Kurt laced their fingers together and slid closer to Blaine, taking the coffee from his hand and taking a drink before handing it back. "Where did you and Cooper end up going last night?"  
"Oh...we just went out to that Chinese place next to the theater that we're always ordering take out from," Blaine said, his tone dismissive. "How did dinner with your father go?" He asked, genuinely interested.

Kurt smiled and launched into a rundown of the evening. Apparently, after Burt had gotten out of the hospital and realized that Kurt was gone, he spent the better part of a year trying to track him down. After every lead turned out to be a dead end, not to mention the less than helpful people he had to go through to even get what little he'd been able to find, he'd finally resigned himself to believing that, at least for the time being, Kurt was gone.

He decided to try a different approach and ran for congress instead, hoping that he would be able to make a difference and pass slaves' rights reform, so that others wouldn't have to go through what he did. He even had ideas for a bill that would abolish slavery in the state of Ohio altogether, but he was having trouble finding support.

Blaine continued to listen with a rapt expression as Kurt went on and on about his father. He'd apparently told his father about his past owners. He left out the particulars, because 'There are just some things a father should never hear.' Blaine had squeezed Kurt's hand sympathetically, but he didn't push the issue, and Kurt quickly changed the subject, never wanting to linger on _that_ subject for too long.

A small smile lit up Kurt's face. "We talked about you a little," he teased.  
Blaine grinned widely. "Oh yeah?"  
"Yep. I told him about how you saved me in more ways than you'll ever know. And how you made me feel like I mattered again, how you treated me like a human being. I told him that I was in love with you and that you really cared about me," Kurt said, a light pink blush coloring his cheeks.

Blaine leaned forward to kiss where the blush colored Kurt's cheek, squeezing his hand again softly. "I do, Kurt. I really, _really_ do," Blaine promised, smiling. "What did he say?"

"He said that, at first, he was skeptical of you, because you were my owner, but he said he could see in your eyes how much you really cared about me. He told me that he hates that I can't just come home with him, but he says that he's happy that at least he knows I'm safe and cared for here." Kurt squeezed his hand gently.

Blaine lifted their intertwined hands to his lips and kissed the back of Kurt's hand before sliding his thumb across it lovingly. "You _are_ safe and cared for here. I'll _always_ do my best to keep you safe, Kurt."

Kurt smiled and rested his free hand against Blaine's cheek, leaning forward for a kiss.

Since taking their time with the conversation, and spending too much, but never nearly enough, time kissing, Blaine was running late for school. He dressed quickly and pressed a chaste kiss to Kurt's lips as he took the travel mug full of coffee from the taller boy's hands with a quick _'thank you'_.

-xXxXx-

Blaine had chosen to skip lunch in favor of working on the English paper that wasn't going nearly as well as he'd hoped. He took another sip of coffee and set aside the empty cup as he combed through yet another book on Victorian Age literature, wondering idly if slamming his head down against the hard cover of the book would alleviate some of the crushing boredom or just result in a headache. He propped his head up on his hand and flipped another page, sighing.

He jumped and looked up when he heard a familiar voice call his name. Sebastian was sauntering toward him, holding two cups of coffee. He smiled and pushed one toward Blaine as he sat down. At least one good thing came out of all of this, even if it did mean dealing with Sebastian.

"Thanks," Blaine mumbled, barely looking up from his book.

Sebastian looked unfazed. "No problem. Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to meet up later to finish up our project. I know you said you would finish it, but I'd like to help a little bit at least." He pulled out his best puppy-dog expression.

Blaine sighed and suddenly felt a little guilty for having been so harsh toward Sebastian. Truth be told, he hadn't made any moves on Blaine since he'd put his foot down. Maybe it was worth giving him another chance. Maybe Sebastian genuinely did want to be friends.

"Umm, yeah sure. I'm going to be late getting home today, because I have to finish this stupid essay, but you're welcome to go on over after school. If I'm not there by the time you get there, Kurt will show you where my room is," Blaine said, still half distracted by the work in front of him and not really excited by the prospect of more work waiting for him when he got home.

Sebastian smiled, a glint that Blaine didn't catch flashed in his eye. "Your parents still live on Sycamore Street, right?" Blaine nodded. Sebastian's tone was all innocence when he spoke. "Well, if you're not home when I get there, why don't I just start without you? It will take some of the load off of you."

Blaine looked up at that, met by the too-helpful smile on Sebastian's face. "Uh...that sounds good. There are markers and posterboard upstairs in my room. Kurt will show you where everything is. You can use whatever you want."

The bell rang and Blaine started packing his things into his bag in a rush to get to class. He couldn't afford to be late again, but Sebastian had distracted him and he hadn't had enough time to pick up and return the book. He gathered all of his things in his arms and called a dismissive goodbye in Sebastian's direction, but he quickly got up and followed.

Blaine rolled his eyes at the annoyingly persistent boy. "I can use _whatever_ I want?" Sebastian asked, a trace of something Blaine didn't trust colored his tone, but he didn't have time to question it; he was already running late.  
"Yeah, yeah. Use whatever you want," he repeated, darting toward the door and disappearing around the corner. "See ya later."

Sebastian leaned back against the wall; a dark smile spreading across his face. "Yep, see ya later," Sebastian laughed quietly to himself, pushing off the wall and adjusting the strap to the messenger bag slung over his shoulder.

The rest of the day passed quickly and Kurt had been upstairs doodling some new designs in a notebook when he heard the doorbell ring insistently. He dropped his pencil and quickly went downstairs to answer it. He heard Cooper buzzing around in the kitchen, probably washing dishes. He straightened the hem of his shirt and answered the door with his eyes cast to the floor.

"May I help you?" He asked, doing his best to keep his voice low. Slaves are required to remain submissive to all free citizens and are not allowed to make eye contact until directly given permission to.

A condescending male voice answered, "You may look at me."

Kurt looked up toward the speaker's face, immediately distrustful of the glint in his eye. A sly smile spread across the teen's face, making his green eyes flash, as he leaned in the door and looked around the empty living room. "Is your owner home?"

"No, sir," Kurt answered politely. "His brother is in the kitchen. I could get him if you'd like."  
"That won't be necessary," the boy answered, stepping through the door and closing it behind him. "I think we'll just go wait for Blaine upstairs."

Kurt stood frozen, taken aback by the stranger's forwardness. He was sure Blaine hadn't mentioned expecting company today. The tall boy brushed past him, walking toward the stairs. "I suggest you follow me," he said without turning, his voice low and dark. "Quietly."

Kurt followed the tall stranger up the stairs, pointing to Blaine's room when he was asked.

As soon as he walked through the door, the stranger shut it behind him. Even though he was expecting it, the click of the door closing made him jump. It sounded _final_. There was something about the atmosphere of the room that made him uncomfortable. It reminded him too much of his past owners.

The tall stranger threw himself down on Blaine's bed, stretching his legs out in front of him and crossing his arms behind his head as he reclined against the headboard, the picture of leisure.

"Alright. Here's what's going to happen. My name is Sebastian Smythe. I go to school with Blaine and I overheard him on the phone with you the other day," he said matter-of-factly, businesslike. His voice turned mocking as he continued. "It was funny. At first, I didn't even realize he was talking to a slave. It sounded like he was talking to an old friend...well...maybe more than a friend, but you get my drift."

Kurt swallowed thickly as he listened to the boy speak. The tone of his voice was sarcastic and threatening. It honestly seemed as though he was very much enjoying keeping Kurt on edge, enjoying dragging it out for as long as possible.

Kurt knew what was going to happen, so he wasn't shocked what the boy said next, but it hit him like a wrecking ball all the same.

"Now, how do you think the Department would feel about you getting all chummy with your owner? I don't think they'd be to happy about it. From the looks of you, he's treats you like a prince instead of the reject that you are," Sebastian said, his teasing voice thick with menace.

Kurt knew that, if the Department came and found the way that Blaine was treating him, he'd be removed immediately. It was strictly forbidden to "spoil a slave", as it made them defiant and useless to future owners. The current owner would be given a hefty fine, and the slave would be relocated to a different home.

Kurt tried to keep his body from shaking. From the look on the other boy's face, there was nothing he'd like more than to see Kurt be taken from Blaine. He felt helpless. He didn't dare try to speak. He'd learned long ago not to argue with a free citizen. It always ended in pain or something much worse.

"I'll tell you what..." he trailed off, gesturing in Kurt's direction, prompting him to say his name.  
"Kurt."  
Sebastian smiled, nodding once in acknowledgment. "I'll tell you what, Kurt. Since Blaine doesn't seem to be getting much use out of you, I figured I'd do it for him. We wouldn't want you to get rusty, now would we, Kurt?" He chuckled darkly at his own humor before schooling his expression back into something more commanding. "So, to clarify, you do what I want, and I won't have my father, the state attorney, have the Department put a rush on your transfer out of the little paradise you have here."

The green eyed teen smiled widely and watched Kurt shift his weight uncomfortably as the words crashed over him like a boiling tidal wave.

Terror and sadness flashed in his eyes, but he worked to hide it.

He couldn't lose Blaine. Not only because with him was the only place he had felt safe in over three years, but because Blaine made him feel wanted, cared for. Even before he'd been put into circulation, he'd never dreamed that he'd find someone who cared for him the way Blaine did, nor did he ever think he'd care for anyone as much as he cared for Blaine.

No one had ever made him feel as safe and protected as Blaine did. Blaine had nursed him back to health and made him feel like himself again. For the first time in three years, Kurt had an ally, and he didn't think he could stand to lose him. The idea alone felt like knife being plunged into the center of his chest.

The boy smiled again and continued. "And if you don't," he drawled. "I'll still get what I want. My father has got a lot of pull, and I'm sure he'd be more than happy to get me _any_ slave I wanted."

Kurt swallowed thickly, understanding the implication behind the words. It wasn't as though he could refuse. As a citizen, Sebastian was free to do whatever he wanted to him. The familiar feeling of hopelessness washed through his body like ice. If he called for Cooper, he'd be taken out of the house and both Blaine and Cooper would get fined for spoiling him.

He shut his eyes tightly and wished for Blaine to come home. He needed to hear his voice and know that everything was going to be okay, that he didn't have to be scared anymore. He wanted Blaine's arms around him, but instead he suddenly felt another pair of arms wrap around him. He wanted to wiggle out of the stranger's hold, to run and lock himself in the bathroom and call Blaine, but he couldn't.

A hand slid down Kurt's chest and over his stomach. He bit his lip as he felt the hand slip underneath the hem of his t-shirt and slide across the skin of his stomach. "Y'know, for a slave, you're actually in pretty good shape," the boy whispered lowly into his ear. The tone made Kurt's stomach turn. "Let's get this off so I can look at you."

He grabbed the hem of Kurt's shirt and wrenched it over his arms, tossing it aside and stepping back to appraise Kurt. "Not bad," he offered. "A little _soft_ for my taste, but good enough."

Sebastian stepped forward and buried his face into Kurt's neck, sucking roughly at his collarbone as he slid a hand across the pale expanse of his chest. Kurt whined and shifted away slightly from the unwanted attention, but the other boy held him firm.

"Where ya goin', sweetheart?" He laughed, sliding his hands down Kurt's back and grabbing his ass roughly to pull him closer.

Now that he was pressed flush against Sebastian's front, he could feel the hard line of the other boy's cock pressing against his leg. Sebastian laughed and ground forward against Kurt's thigh. "You feel that?" When he didn't get an answer, he grabbed Kurt's hand and held it to the front of his jeans. "Do you want it?"

Kurt swallowed thickly and shook his head.

A throaty chuckle slipped past the other boy's lips as he brought them close to Kurt's ear. "Well, that's too bad, isn't it?" Another laugh. Sebastian's breath ghosted hotly against Kurt's ear. "Because I'm going to fuck you until I decide I'm ready to stop."

Kurt felt helpless as a tear slid down his cheek, and his breath hitched desperately.

Sebastian threw his head back and laughed freely before bringing his lips back to Kurt's ear. "I'm gonna fuck you _so_ hard, pretty boy."

He brought a hand down to the front of Kurt's jeans and grabbed him roughly as he started mouthing over the dip where Kurt's shoulder met his neck. Kurt just hoped that Sebastian couldn't feel the choked sobs that kept threatening to escape.

Sebastian laughed quietly and another helpless tear slid silently down Kurt's cheek. He could feel his body shaking with fear and humiliation.

There was no way that Sebastian would be gentle with him or even stop if Kurt said that something hurt.

To Kurt, there was nothing worse than the feeling of getting _fucked_. It was impersonal. He was nothing more than a means to an end. That, more than anything, made him feel worthless.

With his first owner, he hadn't known what to expect. He'd always wanted his first time to mean something. He wanted to give himself to the person he loved, feel them touch him and take care of him, make love to him. He had always assumed that _that_ was the way the first time would be. It was the way he'd seen it in all the movies, but he'd been proven wrong.

His first owner had wasted no time in making Kurt strip off his clothes as he watched, eyeing him lasciviously. Kurt had never felt more exposed or vulnerable. He'd learned early on that it did no good to beg. He'd been told to lie face down on the bed and not make a sound.

He couldn't tell his owner that it was his first time and that it hurt, but he was sure that the man knew. And almost just as sure that he'd gotten off on it. Kurt had just let the tears stream silently down his cheeks as he buried his face in the pillow and felt himself be used, felt himself being fucked. At least after that, he knew what to expect.

Over the years, there had been slight variations, one owner wanted Kurt to look at his face while he fucked him, but it had always been essentially the same. He'd always felt used and worthless and broken afterward.

Just like now, Kurt knew exactly what to expect from Sebastian. As he felt the other boy's hand palming at the front of his jeans, he already felt the feelings of worthlessness begin to seep in.

Neither boy heard the sound of Blaine returning until the sound of the doorknob turning made Kurt jump. Sebastian stilled and looked toward the door. Blaine spoke softly through the door as he slowly pushed it open. His voice held an undercurrent of worry. "Kurt, why didn't you answer your phone. I've tried to call you like six times, but-"

Blaine's voice broke off in a furious gasp as the door swung open.


	9. Chapter 9

"What the fuck are you doing?" Blaine shouted, his livid voice just shy of a growl. Kurt had never heard him be so sharp and angry. He flinched automatically at the sound.

A flurry of activity happened very suddenly. Kurt felt himself being wrenched out of Sebastian's grasp. He fell limply against Blaine's bed, sliding down the side and coming to rest on the floor, his knees pulled tightly to his chest.

Blaine grabbed Sebastian roughly by the front of his shirt as he barked out a question in the same furious tone, shaking the taller boy like a rag doll. "How dare you touch him? How dare you come into my house and try to hurt him?"

He shoved Sebastian backward roughly, sending him sprawling to the floor before hauling back and kicking him hard in the hip. "Get up!" Sebastian didn't move so Blaine shouted again. "I said _get up_!" He delivered another swift kick to the other boy's hip.

Sebastian scrambled to his knees before making it all the way to his feet. He finally spoke. "It was just a little Quid Pro Quo, Blaine. He gets me off and I don't have my father tell the Department about what you've got going on here."

"So, you come in here and threaten Kurt? What gives you the right? Who the _fuck_ do you think you are?" Blaine's voice seethed with hatred.

"I'm a free citizen, Blaine, just like you are. Except I don't pretend that I'm not better than slaves. They need to know their place, and I was just trying to show it to him," Sebastian said, his sarcastic wit was coming back as he regained his composure.

Blaine cocked back his fist and landed a hard punch to the other boy's nose. Sebastian's hand flashed to check for blood. "You just wait and see what happens. That little boytoy of yours will be gone before the fucking weekend," Sebastian threatened, his voice rough and angry, pointing harshly toward where Kurt was curled in on himself on the floor.

He spun around to leave only to run smack into Cooper's chest. Sebastian faltered back a step as he took in the intimidating stature of the man he'd just run into.

Cooper smiled and stepped forward, poking a finger into the boy's chest. "I don't think he will. I know all about you and your high powered daddy, but he's shit compared to me, kid. You just try and get the law involved in this and see how that works out for you."

Sebastian stumbled over his feet as he backed toward the door, Cooper crowding him menacingly. "You may be able to get away with a lot because of who your father is, but let me tell you something. If you come into _my house_ and threaten _my family_ , you're going to pay the price, got me?"

Sebastian made it to the door but wouldn't take his eyes off Cooper who was less than a few inches away from the front of his body.

Blaine stood in the middle of the room, his eyes locked on Kurt's shaking body, completely over the exchange. He needed to find out what the damage was. "Coop, will you get rid of him?" He asked, his voice thick with worry and barely concealed rage.

Cooper nodded and gave Sebastian a shove to get him the rest of the way through the door before shutting it behind him.

The door had no more than closed before Blaine crossed the room and dropped down next to Kurt, wrapping his arms around the other boy's shaking frame and pulling him closer. "You're okay, Kurt. It's alright now. I've got you."

And with that, Kurt dissolved into tears, his entire body going slack in Blaine's arms as sobs ripped through him. "I was—I was so scared, Blaine," he choked out, burying his head into the crook of the shorter boy's neck.

Blaine rubbed a soothing hand across Kurt's back, shushing quietly into his ear. "I know. I know. You're safe now. He's not going to hurt you anymore. He can't touch you anymore."

Kurt's body was still trembling as Blaine picked him up and set him on the bed. He sat down, sliding back against the headboard, and pulled Kurt back into his body, cradling him in his arms. He let Kurt cry himself out against his shoulder, murmuring soothing nonsense as he rocked him gently. Kurt's body slowly started to relax before finally withering, exhausted, in Blaine's arms.

Blaine pressed a kiss to the top of Kurt's hair. Finally, he whispered, "God, Kurt, when I saw him touching you, I swear I wanted to kill him. Why didn't you fight back? Why didn't you tell him to stop?"

Kurt's body stiffened and a quiet, whimpering sob escaped him. "He—He said he knew about us. He said he'd report you if I didn't let him do whatever he wanted. He said that if I said anything, he'd report you. Don't let them take me, Blaine."

Blaine's heart broke as he Kurt's voice crack before breaking off into another fit of sobs.

"Hey," Blaine soothed softly. "He's not going to do anything. He's terrified of Cooper. He won't say anything."

He tried not to think about what was going to happen when Cooper went home. Would Sebastian still be afraid to say anything or would he feel safe knowing that Cooper wasn't there to stop him. The Department could have Kurt taken away before Cooper could even have a chance to get back to Ohio. Blaine shuddered and pulled Kurt closer.

Kurt continued to cry against Blaine's chest, whimpering quiet pleas of, "Please, I don't want to go."

Blaine didn't know what to say to calm him, so he just gently rocked him until the sobs quieted.

Finally, Blaine spoke. "Kurt, I need you to look at me, okay. This is really important." Kurt's fingers stayed twisted in the front of Blaine's shirt as though he was afraid to let go, but he pulled away slightly to look at Blaine's face.

The younger boy took Kurt's hands from his shirt and held them in his own while looking meaningfully into his eyes. "I need you to understand something, okay?"  
Kurt nodded, sniffling quietly. Blaine swiped away Kurt's tears with his fingers.  
"Kurt, I will _never_ let anything or anyone take you away from me. I don't care what it takes; I won't let them take you. I _will_ keep you safe. I love you, Kurt."

Kurt's eyes widened as fresh tears began to fall. His voice was whisper quiet and thick with emotion. "I love you, too, Blaine."

Blaine wrapped himself around Kurt's body, pressing a kiss to the top of the crying boy's head and repeating the mantra of: "You're safe. I've got you."

Kurt tangled his arms around the back of Blaine's neck and nuzzled his face against the hollow of his shoulder. In that moment, he seemed so innocent and vulnerable. Blaine let a thumb slide across Kurt's cheek, warmth flooding through him as he felt Kurt lean into the touch. Kurt followed Blaine's hand as it pulled away from his face.

He sat up straight by Blaine's side, facing him, as he grabbed Blaine's hand and brought it back to rest against his cheek, covering it with his own hand. Kurt's eyes were bright and almost hopeful. Blaine couldn't help himself; he leaned forward and captured the beautiful boy's lips, whimpering softly as he felt them move against his own without any hesitance or fear.

Not breaking the kiss, Kurt began to lie down, taking Blaine with him.

Blaine stretched out half on top of Kurt, bringing their lips together again. Kurt's hands stayed on Blaine's face, seemingly trying to memorize every bump and slope. Blaine rolled a little further until he was mostly on top. Kurt's lips stilled against his own.

Self-consciously, Blaine asked, "I-Is this okay?"

Kurt smiled and slid his thumb across the other boy's jawline before reverently whispering, "It's perfect."

Blaine returned the smile, his entire body relaxing now that he's assessed that Kurt was okay. This was the first time they'd gone this far. Things had been shifting, progressing. He'd felt the change in the way their hands would start drifting while they'd kiss, in the lingering stares and soft touches, but he never wanted to push Kurt toward anything that might make him uncomfortable.

What worries Blaine, even now, as Kurt's lips are sliding, warm and loving, against his own is that they haven't talked about this. He hasn't asked Kurt for boundaries. While Kurt is stretched out under him, warm and trusting, Blaine doesn't really know how Kurt really feels about all this. He doesn't want to break away and ask, for fear of saying the wrong thing or being presumptuous, so he lets Kurt lead but keeps a close eye on his body language.

Kurt's arms wound around the back of Blaine's neck, his hand resting on the back of the younger boy's curls, dragging his fingers through them and scratching lightly at his scalp with his fingernails. Blaine can't help the quiet, satisfied sound that slips past his lips at the sensation, and he can feel Kurt's lips turning up into a smile against his own.

Kurt's free hand started to slide across Blaine's back, rubbing circles against his shoulderblades. Blaine felt Kurt still beneath him and breaks the kiss. "What's the matter, sweetheart?" He asked, his voice concerned, bringing his fingers to stroke Kurt's cheek.

Kurt bit his lip and it looked as though he was thinking very hard about what he wanted to say. His cheeks flooded with color and he cast his gaze down to avoid Blaine's eyes. "Will you take your shirt off?"

Blaine pressed a quick, comforting kiss to Kurt's lips before leaning back and sliding to his knees, straddling Kurt's waist and pulling his shirt over his head. He let his hands drop to slide up and down Kurt's sides as he lifted his gaze to meet Kurt's wide eyes.

The quick motion of Kurt's hand lifting off the mattress before letting it fall back down caught Blaine's eye. He smiled and took Kurt's hand, pressing a kiss to it before holding it against his chest and resting his own hand over it. "Kurt, you can touch me."

The words came out gently and caused a delicate smile to grace Kurt's features. The sight made warmth flood through Blaine's body. He patted Kurt's hand lightly before letting his own hand fall to rest against Kurt's waist. Slowly, he felt Kurt's fingers move to slide along his bare chest. The touch was hesitant and fleeting at first, but it grew a bit surer as his fingers trailed down the length of Blaine's stomach, brushing lightly over the sparse trail of hair at his navel before retreating back up toward his chest.

Blaine smiled encouragingly as he felt Kurt's other hand come to rest on his hip. Kurt's eyes were bright, burning with emotion. Blaine couldn't imagine what all this meant to Kurt. After years of having control stripped from him, being used as a means to an end, Kurt was finally feeling as though someone cared what _he_ wanted. He couldn't fathom what it felt like for Kurt to know that he finally had control over the situation.

As he felt Kurt's hands exploring his torso, Blaine finally allowed himself to fully take in the image in front of him. Though he'd seen Kurt shirtless many times, somehow this felt different, as though he was truly _seeing_ it for the first time. The delicate blush on Kurt's cheeks had spread down his neck and colored the top of his chest. He let his fingers skate across the flushed skin. Kurt's hands stilled, resting on Blaine's hips, his eyes intently interested in what Blaine's hands were doing.

He felt Kurt's eyes on him and glanced up from watching his own fingers exploring the other boy's chest to meet his gaze, a soft, adoring smile touching his face. He leaned down to press his lips to Kurt's, dark red and just a little swollen from kissing. "You are _so_ beautiful, Kurt." The words came out no higher than a reverent whisper. "So perfect."

Kurt's face lit up into a blinding smile that quite literally took Blaine's breath away. He couldn't fight the urge to lean back down and kiss Kurt until _he_ was breathless as well.

Kurt whined as Blaine sucked lightly at his bottom lip. His hips arched off the bed and into Blaine. Another whimper slipped out of Kurt at the sudden friction, the breath ghosting against Blaine's lips.

Blaine was frozen, his face less than an inch away from Kurt's. This was new. This was _all_ new. Kurt kept his gaze, his eyes a shade darker than Blaine had ever seen them but holding silent reassurances. Almost hesitantly, Kurt closed the miniscule distance between their lips, sliding his tongue across Blaine's bottom lip and causing Kurt's name to slip out in a whine. Kurt's hands slid up from where they'd been resting against Blaine's hips to cradle the younger boy's face, holding it still as he deepened the kiss before pulling back, eyes still locked with Blaine's, and rolling his hips with deliberate purpose.

Blaine's eyes rolled back as he felt Kurt pressing against him. He tried to school his expression back into something that resembled neutral, trying hard to think past the fog caused by the hard line repeatedly pressing, rubbing, against his ass through his jeans. He swallowed thickly and willed himself to form a coherent thought.

"K-Kurt..." He winced at the way the word came out in a wrecked whimper. He steeled himself and tried again, a little more in control of himself. "Kurt, stop."

Kurt froze beneath him, worry flitting across his face. Blaine was quick to erase the panic, dropping a kiss to his lips and brushing a stray lock of hair from his forehead. Blaine let his thumb slide across the apple of Kurt's cheek and continued. "Kurt, this is...this is _new_ and I need to make sure that you're really okay with all of this, comfortable with it, and you're not just doing it because of what happened with Sebastian."

Kurt flinched at the name, but relaxed easily under Blaine's touch. Kurt bit his lip shyly. "It—It's not him. I've wanted this—wanted _you_ —for awhile."

Blaine felt the actual moment when his brain short circuited, but he pushed past it. He couldn't focus on the thought that Kurt had _thought_ about this.

He felt himself relenting, his resolve melting away just as quickly as he felt his brain melting. "You're sure?" He had to ask, had to make sure. _Always_ make sure. Kurt smiled softly, letting his fingertips slide across Blaine's cheek, and nodded. The expression on Kurt's face was _sure_ in a way Blaine couldn't ever remember seeing it before, serene.

Blaine leaned down to kiss him again, sliding his tongue across the seam of Kurt's lips until they opened in silent invitation. As Blaine deepened the kiss, letting his tongue slip past Kurt's parted lips and into the warm cavern of his mouth, he ground his hips down in earnest, swallowing the eager moan that escaped Kurt's throat at the action.

He stretched out until he was mostly lying on top of Kurt, rolling his hips against Kurt's. Everything was new. He had no idea what he was doing, but judging by the way it felt and the little sounds that vibrated out of Kurt, he was doing something right, so he repeated the motion.

Underneath him, Kurt's head had fallen back against the pillow, and his eyes had fluttered shut. His cheeks flushed crimson, the evening light catching on the barely-there sheen of sweat. Blaine was sure that he'd never seen anything more beautiful. He brought their lips together again, kissing languid but building.

Blaine felt a heat pooling in his stomach and he began to focus on the way he could feel the hard line in Kurt's jeans against his own, the way they were perfectly fitted and sliding together causing friction to charge every nerve in his body. He listened to the little whines pouring out of Kurt's mouth as his hips lifted to meet each roll of Blaine's hips. They were no longer kissing, but their foreheads were pressed together as they breathed each other's air, occasionally whispering soft endearments and pressing fleeting, uncoordinated kisses to the other's lips.

Kurt's whines were growing more intense, and Blaine could practically feel the older boy's body shaking under his own. He dropped his head to mouth along Kurt's jaw, earning himself a broken moan and a tightened hold on the back of his hair. Kurt's head dropped back against the pillows again, giving Blaine better access to the pale column of his neck.

Kurt's fingers dig into Blaine's shoulderblade in the most perfect way and a high keen slipped past the older boy's lips. "B-Blaine...I'm close..."

Blaine kissed along where Kurt's pulse was fluttering rapidly beneath his lips, sucking just hard enough to leave a mark. "It's okay, baby, I've got you. Just let go..." Blaine mumbled against Kurt's skin. He started rolling his hips faster and lifted his head to surge their lips together as he heard Kurt cry out once before arching his back off the mattress and keening out a broken version of what sounded like Blaine's name.

Blaine followed almost immediately after, crying out his release as he continued to grind his hips against Kurt's. Both boys were unwilling to separate their lips even though they were only panting into each other's mouths as they came down from highs. Kurt was the first to be able to form a complete thought, whispering _I love you_ as he carded his fingers through Blaine's curls, staring into his honey-colored eyes with a look of absolute adoration and affection.

It was all Blaine could do _not_ to completely collapse on top of Kurt, sated, boneless, and awestruck by the beautiful, amazing boy beneath him. He rolled off of Kurt and pulled him into his arms, wrapping them tightly around the Kurt's shoulders as he nuzzled closer against his side. Kurt pressed a kiss to the still-heated skin of Blaine's chest before resting his head there. Blaine's fingers instinctively went to thread through Kurt's hair, smiling peacefully and feeling heavy with contentment.

He craned his neck to drop a kiss to the top of Kurt's hair, reveling in the contented little sound the action produced. Kurt's eyes fluttered closed and soon his breathing evened out into the peaceful rhythm of a deep, comfortable sleep. Blaine pulled the comforter up over them both and quickly allowed himself to succumb to his own tiredness, feeling content and gloriously sleepy.

-xXxXx-

Blaine woke up to the feeling of fingers tracing idle patterns across his chest. He was hesitant to move, unwilling to risk ruining the moment, but he slowly let his eyes flutter open, glancing down to meet Kurt's, bright and shining with unreadable emotion, a soft smile gracing his features.

"Hey, sleepyhead," Kurt teased gently, his fingers still sliding across Blaine's chest. He turned his head to press a kiss to the bare skin.

Blaine chuckled softly and craned his neck to drop a kiss to the top of Kurt's head, mumbling sleepily, "Hey. What time is it?"

Kurt hummed out a content sound and burrowed further Blaine's arm. "About six, I think."

Blaine stretched indulgently and pulled Kurt tighter to his side. Kurt laughed when Blaine's stomach suddenly growled.

"We should start thinking about what we're going to have for dinner, huh?" Kurt said quietly, amusement in his voice as his fingers slid across Blaine's stomach. He shifted against Blaine's side, wrinkling his nose at the action. "I think I need a shower first," he said, laughing.

Blaine dropped a kiss to the top of his head and rolled out of bed. "Why don't you just lie here for a little while. Let me take a shower first and then I'll have dinner ready by the time you get out."

Kurt grinned and burrowed back under the blankets. "That could work," he sighed, nuzzling his head against Blaine's pillow, a sleepy grin on his face.

Blaine couldn't resist the desire to dart over and kiss his lips softly, letting his fingers trail across Kurt's cheek. He was just about to turn to leave when he heard Kurt call his name, his voice anxious and quiet. Kurt stretched his arm out to take Blaine's hand.

"Kurt, what's the matter, sweetheart?" Blaine asked, worried, sitting down beside Kurt. He started rambling. "Are you okay? Was that too much? It was too much. I knew it. We shouldn't have-"

Kurt cut off the anxious babbling, shaking his head. "No. Blaine, I'm fine. That was amazing. It just-" He took a deep breath and continued, looking into Blaine's eyes deeply. "I wasn't lying when I said I'd been thinking about this for awhile."

Blaine's eyes widened. "K-Kurt?"

"I really love you, Blaine. I—I just want you to know that you don't have to be so careful around me. I know that _you_ know about most of the things that happened to me, but _I_ know that you'd never hurt me." Kurt's voice was soft and comforting, his thumb sliding across the knuckles of Blaine's hand.

Blaine swallowed past the lump in his throat, smiling sympathetically as Kurt continued.

"Please don't worry about making me uncomfortable. There's nothing you could do that would make me not feel comfortable with you. You are the most amazing person I've ever met, Blaine. You're sweet and funny and genuinely kind. You make me feel safe and taken care of. I don't know what I could have ever done to deserve you, but I love you more than anything in the world. You're the only person I trust completely, because I know you'd never do anything to hurt me."

Blaine sniffled quietly, at a complete loss for words. He surged forward and captured Kurt's lips with his own, wrapping his arms around the older boy's shoulders in a tight hug. "I love you, too, Kurt. I'll always keep you safe. I promise." The words were whisper quiet and came out a bit choked, voice roughened by tears.

Dinner was forgotten in the moment of closeness, neither boy willing to leave the embrace. They stretched back out on the bed and curled into each other, taking comfort in the other's presence.

-xXxXx-

Things were different after that night. Easier.

There was a brightness to Kurt that Blaine hadn't yet seen. He'd stopped jumping and flinching at every loud noise and once, Blaine had walked in on Kurt arguing with Cooper in the kitchen over some trivial aspect of making dinner. Kurt was right and, for the first time, he was arguing to prove it.

Blaine had sat and listened with rapt attention as Cooper's voice turned sheepish when he realized he was wrong. Smugness radiated out of Kurt and Blaine couldn't resist the desire to cross the kitchen and pull him in for a kiss, ignoring the confused, giggled-out, "What on Earth was that for?"

That's why, when the day came for his parents to return home from wherever they'd been this time, Blaine was honestly scared. He'd watched Kurt come out of his shell when it was just Cooper hanging around, but he was terrified of what would happen when Kurt had to resume the role of a submissive slave. The thought made Blaine sick. He'd lie awake at night thinking of any way to avoid it, but inevitably, the day came.

He hadn't even been able to stay home that day. Cooper had forced him to go to school.

He'd been on edge all day. Paying attention in class had been nearly impossible. He felt trapped at school knowing that his parents would be arriving home at any moment, if they weren't home already. Blaine was stuck in a classroom while Kurt was at home with his parents. He knew that something was going to go wrong. He just knew it.

His tension went flying through the roof as he felt his phone buzz in his pocket for the third time in five minutes. He tapped his toe anxiously on the floor as he waited for the teacher to stop lecturing long enough for him to ask to be excused. Finally, he got the chance and bolted for the bathroom, pulling his phone out of his pocket and quickly shutting himself into a stall.

He glanced down at the screen.

_3 missed calls from Cooper_

His heart kicked into overdrive. Something was wrong. It had to be. There was no other reason Cooper would call him during school _once_ let alone three times. He dialed the number and flashed the phone to his ear.

"Blaine?" Cooper's answering voice was panicked.  
"Coop, what's going on?" Blaine was already planning his escape to his car.  
"It—It's Kurt. Something happened and you need to come home now. He won't talk to me and he won't come out of your bedroom. I'm afraid to go in. I don't want him to freak out again. I just don't—you need to come home. Please."

The desperation was clear in Cooper's voice and Blaine could almost see him pacing the floor, dragging his hand through his hair in frustration.

Blaine was already digging his keys out of his bag. The blood in his veins felt like ice ever since he heard the words _something happened_. He threw the bag over his shoulder and offered a hurried "I'm on my way. Bye." to his brother before sprinting to his car. He hoped no one had seen him, but honestly, he didn't care. He just had to get home to Kurt.

He slammed the car into park the second the tires hit the driveway, cutting the engine and throwing himself out of the car with the same motion. Cooper was pacing just inside the door when he entered.

"Coop, what happened?" Blaine called, not slowing down as he ran up the stairs. Cooper was right behind him.

"Dad came home. Kurt was watching television or something. I don't really know; I was in the kitchen, but I came running into the living room just in time to see dad punch him." Cooper's face shifted from panic to rage. "He reached down and pulled Kurt up by the hair. I tried to stop him, but he just kept yelling about respect. I tried to pull dad off of him, but I couldn't. He threw Kurt down and-" Cooper's voice broke, full of sadness and frustration. "God, he just laid on the floor and took it, Blaine. He looked so broken. After dad stormed out, I tried to get him up, but he wouldn't move. I wasn't thinking, I-"

Cooper looked down, sheepish and ashamed.

Blaine spun to face him, his expression livid. "What did you do, Cooper?"

"I-I didn't want dad to come back in the room, and I panicked. I grabbed him by the arm and told him to get upstairs. He looked so scared though, Blaine. I think he thinks I was mad at him or something. I was just—I was just trying to protect him."

Blaine's hands shook with his barely concealed rage, but he tried to tamp it down. He knew Cooper didn't do well under pressure. He had good intentions, even if it was hard for Blaine to see them at the moment. He stopped right outside his door and grabbed his brother's shoulders. "Where is dad now?"

Cooper's voice was low when he answered. "He's in the garage, I think."  
"Keep him away from here," Blaine ordered, his tone leaving no room for discussion.

Cooper nodded sadly. "I'm sorry, Blaine. I screwed up big time. Just please tell Kurt that I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare him."

Blaine patted his brother's arm and nodded. Cooper looked down at his feet and turned away, going back downstairs. Blaine took a deep breath and knocked on the door. "Kurt, it's me. I'm coming in, alright?"

He opened the door as he finished his sentence. He knew it was important to respect Kurt's rights by asking, but Blaine couldn't _not_ be with him right now. He opened the door just enough to squeeze inside and immediately closed it behind him.

Panic set in quickly when his eyes darted to the bed and didn't find Kurt lying there. "K—Kurt?"

There was a quiet sniffling coming from the far corner of the room beside the piano. Blaine's eyes immediately followed the sound and found Kurt sitting in-between the wall and the side of the piano with his knees pulled tightly to his chest.

Blaine crossed the room quickly, dropping down next to Kurt and stretching his arms out toward him. Kurt just stayed curled in on himself in the corner, his face buried in the cradle of his arms.

"Kurt, it's okay. I'm here." He reached forward to touch Kurt's hair, but the terrified boy flinched away from the contact. Blaine couldn't take it anymore. He reached forward and pulled Kurt into his arms. The angle was awkward, but it didn't matter.

"Hey, it's just me," he said soothingly. "Kurt, look at me."

Kurt sniffled again and slowly lifted his head. Blaine's heart clenched painfully as he saw the dried blood under Kurt's nose and the dark bruise that marred his cheekbone. Rage burned through him. He had to work to keep himself from screaming. He knew that the anger would come flying out later, but for now it was all about Kurt.

Blaine brought his thumb to carefully swipe away the tears falling from Kurt's eyes. "You're going to be alright now. I won't let him hurt you anymore." Kurt's scared eyes were still shining with tears. "Come on, let's go sit on the bed, okay. You can't be comfortable like this."

Blaine stood up and extended his hand. Kurt hesitantly took it, wincing as he tried to stand up. Blaine reached down and put his hands under Kurt's arms like a toddler and lifted him to his feet, steadying him with an arm around his waist as soon as he was on his feet. He sat Kurt on the bed and eased him back against the headboard.

"Where did he hurt you?" Blaine asked, seething. Kurt shook his head slightly, tears still sliding silently down his cheeks. Blaine huffed out a breath and willed himself to calm down, at least until he assessed the damage. He knelt down on the bed, shuffling closing to Kurt and reaching for the hem of his shirt. "Come on, sweetheart, arms up."

Kurt sniffled but lifted his arms for Blaine to remove his shirt, wincing slightly at the action. Blaine tossed the shirt aside, his eyes immediately scanning Kurt's body. His breath hitched as he took in the angry purpling marks dotting the pale skin. He looked as though he'd taken at least two hard kicks to the ribs and at least one to the middle of his stomach. There were also finger shaped bruises marking his upper arm. Cooper must have grabbed harder than he'd meant to.

He kissed Kurt's forehead and darted out of the room to get a warm washcloth, returning quickly and dabbing softly at the dried blood beneath Kurt's nose. Once he got Kurt's face cleaned up, he slid in beside him and pulled him close. Kurt rested his head against Blaine's shoulder and took a deep, shuddering breath.

Blaine tightened his hold and dropped a kiss to the top of Kurt's hair. All of this was pretty much his nightmare come true. He knew it wasn't going to get any better as long as Kurt was in the same house as his parents. "I love you, you know that don't you?"

Kurt nodded against the hollow of Blaine's shoulder.

Blaine took a deep breath and forced himself to do the very last thing he ever wanted to do."I don't feel safe leaving you here, Kurt. And with Cooper going home soon, you'd be alone here all day until I got back. I'd be worried sick that something was going wrong." He took a steadying breath. "I talked to Cooper and he's willing to take you back to New York with him a little early."

The thought of Kurt being so far away killed Blaine, but he would rather Kurt be safe in New York than abused in Ohio. Kurt's breath hitched and he burrowed further into Blaine's side. "Kurt, I just want you to be safe. And—I can't keep you safe here if I'm not home. We were going there over Spring Break anyway, but I was thinking you could go back with him when he goes on Wednesday. I'll be there on Friday."

He squeezed Kurt tighter and waited. Kurt's voice was low and sad when he spoke. "Cooper doesn't want me."

"Kurt, sweetheart, who do you think called me?" Blaine asked. "He was scared to death about you. He only did that because he panicked. Kurt, he loves you. He'd never hurt you on purpose. You know that. He was just trying to help, but whenever he tries to help, he usually just makes things worse. But he always has the best intentions."

Kurt sniffled again, his thumb sliding idly at the collar of Blaine's t-shirt. Blaine's heart broke as he felt lips press softly against his neck. It was such an innocent, heartfelt gesture. He brought a hand to the back of Kurt's head and cradled him against his shoulder. "I just want you to be safe, Kurt," Blaine sighed, defeated. "I love you and I need you to be safe."

Kurt looked up. His eyes were brimming with sad understanding. "I—I know." He cast his eyes toward his lap. "I love you, too, Blaine. I don't want to leave you."

Blaine lifted Kurt's hand from his collar and held it between both of his own. "Honey, you aren't safe here. My dad—Well, I don't know what he'll do. He doesn't understand. I want you to stay. I want to be with you every day, but, Kurt, I can't have you living in fear of my father."

Kurt pressed a kiss to the back of Blaine's hand. "It's worth it."

"No. Nothing could be worth that." Guilt surged through Blaine. Kurt was willing to stay in a home where he was treated as something less than human just to be with him. "Please, Kurt. I'm not going to force you to do anything, you know I would never do that, but please think about it." He hated himself for playing _this_ card, but he was willing to do pretty much anything to get Kurt to really give the idea a chance. "It would make me feel so much better knowing that you were somewhere that you could be free."

Kurt froze. "Free?" He looked as though the idea terrified him.

Blaine quickly tried to put him at ease, softening his tone. "Think about it, Kurt. You could go out and buy your own clothes, we could go out to eat. Sweetheart, you could even go back to school. They've got programs and stuff to help with things like that. I could come see you on the weekends plus I can spend the whole summer there. I'll show you all around the city."

Kurt's eyes still looked sad, but the light behind them was back. Blaine could see that Kurt was honestly considering it. "But what about when summer's over? You'll have to go back home for the whole year."

"We'll figure something out," Blaine said quickly, though he didn't have anything in mind, really. He could just see that Kurt was close to accepting the idea.

Kurt squeezed Blaine's hand tightly. "O-Okay. But...I'm going to miss you so much." A tear slid down Kurt's cheek, but Blaine thumbed it away quickly, shaking his head and smiling softly at Kurt.

"I'm going to miss you too, but there's so much more out there for you than this." He gestured around the room. "Kurt, I want to see you go back to school and get your degree in fashion just like you always dreamed about. But none of that can happen while you're stuck here. I'd be selfish if I made you stay."

"But...I don't feel stuck here. I don't want New York if I can't have you too."

Blaine was shaking his head again, quickly dismissing Kurt's words. "Kurt, you _have_ me. I'm not going anywhere. I'm yours." He smiled and pressed a quick kiss to Kurt's lips. "I'll still be _yours_ no matter what. Whether we go to sleep together every night or just get to talk to each other on the phone until we fall asleep, nothing will ever change the fact that I belong to you."

Kurt threw his arms around Blaine's shoulders and pulled him closer, kissing him softly on the lips, before nuzzling back into the hollow of Blaine's neck, whispering a soft _I love you_ into the skin.

Blaine pulled them both down until Kurt was able to stretch out. He curled into Blaine's side, throwing his arm over the younger boy's chest and resting his head against his shoulder. Blaine dropped a kiss to the top of Kurt's hair. His voice was barely above a whisper when he asked, "So, you'll go?"

Kurt nodded against his skin, his voice sad but accepting. "I'll go."

He slid his hand across Kurt's bare back, trying to commit everything to memory. Kurt yawned delicately and instinctively curled in closer to the warmth of Blaine's body. Blaine realized he must be exhausted from the adrenaline and tears so he pressed a kiss to the top of his head and whispered, "Go to sleep, Kurt."

Kurt stretched up to kiss Blaine's neck before settling into his side. Blaine hummed quietly and slid his hand across Kurt's back. Soon, the other boy's breathing evened out into sleep and Blaine was left to contemplate what the immediate future was going to be like. Now that Kurt was asleep, Blaine let a few stray tears fall at the unfairness of it all. He managed to stifle a sob that threatened to escape but he felt the anger building inside him. Fresh tears of frustration burned his eyes. He pulled Kurt closer in the hopes of quelling the anger, but it didn't seem to help.

Suddenly, his father's livid voice broke through the silence. "Blaine!"

Rage flashed through him and he felt his hands start shaking. He slowly and carefully slid out from under Kurt, dropping a kiss to his forehead and brushing away a stray lock of hair before turning toward the door to go downstairs and face his father.


	10. Chapter 10

By the time Blaine reached the bottom of the stairs, his entire body is trembling with rage. Cooper met him as he crossed the threshold of the living room, his eyes widening at the terrifying expression in Blaine's eyes. He stepped in front of the younger boy, cutting him off before he could cross the small hallway into their father's study.   
  
"B, calm down," Cooper tried to soothe, rubbing a hand across the top of Blaine's arm. "You're not going to accomplish anything like this. You--"   
  
"No, Cooper! I have every right to be angry right now. Do  _not_ tell me how to feel!" Blaine snapped. Cooper rocked back on his heels in shock. Blaine had never spoken to him that way before.   
  
In the back of his mind, he knew that none of this was Cooper's fault, but he couldn't bring himself to listen to that rational part right now. Cooper was frozen so Blaine sidestepped him; he'd apologize to his brother later.   
  
He stepped into his father's study and slammed his hand down on the desk heavily.   
  
His father jumped out of his chair and crossed to point a finger directly in Blaine's face. "You listen to me! You will not--"   
  
"No!  _You_ listen to  _me_ !" He slapped his father's hand away from his face and took a deliberate step forward. "I told you—I  _told you_ explicitly that you were not to lay a hand on him! You had  _no_ right to touch him!" Blaine shouted.   
  
Cooper had rallied and darted into the room, putting a hand on Blaine's shoulder and trying to pull him backwards, clearly sensing that he was just about to lose control of himself. He shook off Cooper's hand and took another step forward, causing the older man to have to take a small step back.   
  
His father raised his voice. "I have  _every_ right to touch him! He's nothing, Blaine! I don't know what little game you and Cooper have been playing with that slave. You've been deluding yourselves into thinking that he's something special while you were playing house, and I'm sure that he was more than happy to take the handouts, but he's  _nothing_ , Blaine! No matter how much you spoil him and treat him like he's  _part of the family_ " The words were lilting and mocking. "He will never be anything more than a  _reject_ , trash."

 

A feral snarl ripped out of Blaine and he launched himself forward toward his father, but he was stopped by a pair of hands against his chest, pushing him backward, Kurt.  
  
"Blaine!" Kurt yelled, his voice shocked. "Blaine, honey, stop!"  
  
Blaine kept his eyes locked on his father as he felt Kurt trying to push him back. His father's eyes had flown open wide, his face twisting with disgust. " _What_ did he just call you?" The man grabbed Kurt by the arm to pull him away from Blaine, but Blaine knocked his hand away roughly and gave his father a hard shove backward.  
  
He dove forward quickly to try and grab Blaine, but Kurt intercepted, pushing against the man's chest, hard, and sending him stumbling back to knock into his desk, his eyes wide.  
  
"You leave Blaine alone!" Kurt said loudly, pointing toward the man.  
  
"How dare you speak to me that way? I won't stand for it!"  
  
"No!  _I_ won't stand for the way you're treating Blaine. Your son is kind and caring and gentle in a way that I've  _never_ seen before, and I refuse to let you do anything to jeopardize that. I've seen a lot of  _awful_ things, but I can't think of anything that would be more of an injustice than to let you do  _anything_ to corrupt that innocence."  
  
Blaine's father just stood with his mouth hanging open dumbly. Cooper watched the entire scene, his eyes darting between Kurt and his father, doing his best to suppress the smile that was tugging at the corners of his lips. Blaine's eyes were brimming with tears as he watched Kurt stand up for him. "K-Kurt." The word came out as a reverent breath.  
  
Kurt took Blaine's hand and squeezed it in his own. "You can do whatever you want to me. Believe me, I've taken worse, but I  _refuse_ to let you hurt Blaine in any way."  
  
He tugged on Blaine's arm and led him out of the study, leaving Cooper and Blaine's father frozen and speechless behind him. "Come on, sweetheart," Kurt whispered, sliding his thumb across Blaine's knuckles as he led him up the stairs.  
  
The moment they'd made it back into Blaine's bedroom, Blaine was crowding Kurt against the door, surging their lips together desperately, moaning quietly into Kurt's mouth at the relief caused by the contact. Kurt's hands came up to frame Blaine's face, his thumbs sliding across the apples of Blaine's cheeks as he pulled away and rested his forehead against Blaine's. "Calm down, Blaine. It's okay."  
  
Blaine was exhausted. As he looked into Kurt's eyes, soft and compassionate, safe, and felt himself breaking down. "K-Kurt..." he whimpered before dissolving into tears. Kurt's hand was quickly on his back, leading him toward the bed and then pulling him close. Blaine curled into his side and cried, weeks of frustration and worry and anger pouring out in a fit of broken sobs. He nuzzled closer to Kurt and let himself be comforted.  
  
Kurt held him tightly against his side and murmured soothing nonsense into his ear as Blaine clung to him as though he was a life preserver, he kind of was. 

-xXxXx-

 He wasn't sure how much later it was, but he felt groggy so he must have fallen asleep. Kurt's arm was still wrapped tightly around his middle and a hand was carding softly through his hair. He heard Kurt's voice speaking to someone in a whisper.  
  
"No, Cooper. It's okay. I promise." Kurt's voice was soft and reassuring, and Blaine wondered when the tables had turned so drastically.  
  
"I just--" Cooper started before breaking off and letting out a breath in a gust. Blaine didn't have to open his eyes to know that his brother had just dragged a hand roughly through his own hair. "I just wanted to get you out of the room before he came back, Kurt. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."  
  
"Cooper, please, stop apologizing. I'm fine. _We're_ fine," Kurt assured. "Blaine said that you were the one who called him to come help me."  
  
"Yeah," Cooper replied, his voice a bit awkward.  
  
"He also told me that you two had talked about taking me to New York."  
  
An awkward silence hung over the room. The only sound was breathing somewhere close and the steady beat of Kurt's heart, loud in Blaine's ears.  
  
Cooper broke the silence, his voice low and serious. "It would be the safest place for you. You can stay with me and go back to school. You could do all the things you  _should_  be able to do. I've already called and pulled some strings and got you into an advanced program so you might actually be able to catch up to where you should be and graduate the same year as Blaine."  
  
Kurt sighed and dropped a kiss to the top of Blaine's hair, thumbing away a stray curl on his forehead. "I hate leaving him, Cooper. None of this is fair for him. I've caused so much trouble and I'm leaving him to deal with it all. Alone."  
  
"You haven't caused any trouble, Kurt. Don't think like that. Blaine loves you. You know that," Cooper said quickly.  
  
"I know he does, and I love him more than anything, which is why I hate leaving him here. Cooper, he's such a kind soul and it kills me what your father is doing to him. He's going to end up making him bitter and resentful, and that would be a tragedy. He's just _good_ , and I don't want anything to change that. I just don't want him to end up like me."  
  
"Like _you_?" Cooper's voice was confused.  
  
"Cynical. I've seen the badness in the world, and I know you have too. But, Blaine hasn't. He knows it's there, in the abstract, but he's never _seen_ it the way we have. He still sees the goodness in everyone because he's never had a reason not to doubt that there _is_ good in everyone. I don't ever want him to lose that, Cooper. I'll do whatever it takes to protect that."  
  
Blaine suddenly felt guilty for eavesdropping and opened his eyes slowly, making a show of waking up.

 

Kurt's tone shifted to something much softer, more gentle. "Hey, sweetheart. How are you feeling?"  
  
"I'm better," Blaine answered, his voice was still a little rough from crying and his eyes burned from the tears, but he did feel better after letting all the emotion out. "How are you?"  
  
"I'm fine. Don't worry about me," Kurt said fondly, dropping a kiss to Blaine's forehead.  
  
The bruise that marked high on his cheek stood in stark contrast to his words, but Blaine let it go. He noticed Cooper shifting his weight awkwardly, looking down at his feet. "Coop, I'm really sorry for snapping at you earlier."  
  
Cooper looked up, a kind smile on his face. "Don't worry about it, B. You were upset. I just came up here to apologize to Kurt."  
  
Kurt smiled in Cooper's direction before turning to drop a kiss to the top of Blaine's hair. "We've talked about New York and school. Did you know that he got me into some kind of an advanced program? I'll be able to graduate." Kurt's voice was bright, almost overly so. Blaine was sure that he was laying it on a little thick for his sake, but there was genuine excitement on his face.  
  
"Yeah, he told me about that," Blaine said brightly, sitting up and leaning into Kurt's side. Kurt tightened his arm around Blaine's middle and rested his head against his shoulder.  
  
Cooper shifted again. "I wanted to tell you guys that mom and dad are staying in tonight, so you'd probably better stay upstairs, Kurt. I'm going out to get a pizza for the three of us. I don't think dad's especially fond of me right now either." He looked down, trying to look sheepish but unable to fight the smile quirking up the corners of his lips.  
  
"What'd you do, Cooper?" Kurt asked, intensely curious.  
  
Cooper laughed out an awkward sound. "I may or may not have told dad that if he tries one more time to put a hand on Blaine that he'd never see him again." Blaine's eyes widened and his mouth fell open. A proud smile spread across Kurt's face. Cooper brought a hand to the back of his neck and rubbed idly. "Yeah...he didn't like that very much."  
  
Blaine quickly rolled out of bed and closed the gap between himself and Cooper, throwing his arms around his brother and hugging tightly. "Cooper, you didn't have to do that."  
  
"Yeah, well, he doesn't need to be putting his hands on you. He doesn't get to come in and try and play the concerned father now. He hasn't earned it," Cooper said, his voice quiet. He looked down at Blaine, lifting a hand to card through his younger brother's curls. "I love you, B, and I'm so proud of the man you've become."  
  
Blaine pulled back to look into his brother's eyes, whispering, "I love you, too, Coop." His voice was thick with emotion.  
  
Cooper hugged Blaine tighter for a second before pushing back, clearing his throat. "Alright. Enough of that. I'm going to go get food now."  
  
Blaine smiled and patted his brother on the shoulder before stepping back and watching him leave. Cooper wiped his eyes quickly as he shut the door behind himself. Blaine turned back toward the bed and sat down next to Kurt, pulling him close and shifting further into his side, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. "I love you, Kurt," he murmured softly.  
  
Kurt petted his hair, dropping a kiss to the top of his head. "I know, sweetheart. I love you, too."

 

After they'd finished their pizza, sitting locked away in Blaine's room, they decided to call it an early night, none of the three eager to make that godawful day go on any further than absolutely necessary.   
  
Cooper picked up the pizza box from where it sat in between the three of them on Blaine's bed. "Kurt, mom and dad are going to be home all day tomorrow, so it'd probably be best if you stayed up here. I'll stay with you until Blaine gets home. You'll probably be busy packing to leave, but I'll keep you company. It's just one more day and then you'll be in New York City."   
  
Cooper gave an easy smile that Kurt returned, the latter's smile looking  _almost_ genuine, before wishing them both goodnight and leaving the room. Kurt pushed Blaine down gently and curled up against his side, resting his head on the younger boy's chest.   
  
"Kurt, if you don't want to go to New York I'm sure we can think of something else," Blaine offered, though he instantly regretted the words. There was  _really_ no other viable option. Kurt apparently understood that.   
  
"No, I have to go. God, I always thought that, if the time ever came that I'd have the option of getting out of Ohio, I wouldn't look back, but now, even after everything, I kinda don't want to leave yet. Not without you."   
  
He turned his head and pressed a kiss against Blaine's chest.   
  
Suddenly, out of the blue, Blaine was reminded of something. "Oh, I just remembered, I made you something. It's nothing special, but I made it for you." He sat up and reached into his nightstand drawer, returning with something hidden in his hand. "Close you eyes," he insisted softly, a smile playing on his lips.   
  
Kurt shifted until he was sitting, grinned and squeezed his eyes shut, his smile widening as he felt Blaine lift his left wrist, his fingers fluttering around it before patting the skin and instructing him to open his eyes.   
  
He let his eyes flutter open and took in the handmade bracelet made of varying shades of blue string that Blaine had tied around his wrist. He felt tears welling up in his eyes but he pushed them down, his smile widening as he saw the proud grin on Blaine's face.

  
Kurt's voice was breathless when he spoke. "Blaine, it's beautiful!"   
  
Blaine's face lit up at the praise. "I'm glad you like it. It was harder to make than everyone says it is, and I wasn't sure if--"   
  
Kurt cut the rambling off with a kiss, holding Blaine's face in his hands and letting his thumb slide across the younger boy's jaw. "It's perfect and I love it. I love  _you_ ."   
  
"I love you, too," Blaine breathed, leaning forward to brush his lips against Kurt's. "I'm going to miss you so much, Kurt."   
  
His voice wasn't sad or melancholy, just simply stating a fact. 

 

Kurt smiled and brushed a stray curl from his forehead. "Let's not think about it right now, then. Just lay with me."  
  
Blaine gave a small smile and let himself be pulled down. He shifted automatically into Kurt's side and rested his head on the older boy's chest, listening to the steady beating of Kurt's heart echoing in his ear. He let the warmth of Kurt's body and the comforting sound of his heartbeat drag him toward unconsciousness.  
  
He felt Kurt's fingers come to scratch lightly at the back of his hair and he breathed out a contented sound. Kurt dropped a kiss to the top of his head. "Go to sleep, sweetheart. I love you."  
  
Blaine heard himself mumble something, but even he couldn't quite make out what it was. He felt safe and warm beside Kurt, taken care of and loved, and he fell asleep quickly to the sound of Kurt humming softly in his ear.

-xXxXx-

He'd been uneasy all day. After a day like yesterday, he'd been hesitant to leave Kurt alone in the house at all, but Cooper had assured him that no harm would befall Kurt under his dutiful watch. Blaine had rolled his eyes and Kurt had giggled into his coffee cup.   
  
Classes seemed to drag on forever. All Blaine wanted was to get home to Kurt, to have his mind set at ease that Kurt was in one piece and unharmed. By the time Warblers' practice rolled around, he half debated just making a bee line for his car and skipping it without an excuse. But he figured he owed it to his friends to at least give a reason for not being able to stay, even if he hadn't thought of a reason yet to tell them.   
  
When he walked through the door to the practice room, Wes was sitting behind the table with his head in his hands looking entirely defeated and everyone else was chattering sadly amongst themselves.   
  
“What's the matter?” Blaine asked, setting down his bag and walking over to Wes. He put a hand on his friend's shoulder and looked down to see a note in front of him. He recognized the handwriting and his stomach rolled as he picked it up. Wes spoke before he got a chance to read too far into the letter.  
  
“Sebastian transferred schools. He left a note about how he regretted the decision, but ultimately it was for the best that he transferred. He said that he had irreconcilable differences with one of the members' family, but he wouldn't say which,” Wes' voice was dejected. “I really thought he was our ticket to Nationals.”  
  
Blaine tried to force down a smile. Even though he was delighted that Cooper had scared Sebastian enough to make him flee, his friends were upset and Blaine hated to see that.   
  
“I'm sorry, you guys,” he said genuinely. “I'm sure we'll win without him though. We've got this.”  
  
The Warblers' slowly turned toward Blaine, their expressions lifting slightly.   
  
David spoke from his spot on the table. “I move that we cancel today's practice for a strategy meeting.”  
  
The motion was seconded and Blaine's smile grew. Today was apparently his lucky day. He tried to keep a somber expression as he filed out of the practice room, but he all but ran to his car, eager to get home to Kurt.   
  
They had decided that they would go see Burt at the garage when Blaine got home from school. Blaine hadn't been happy about taking the risk, but Kurt had been excited about the prospect of seeing his father and visiting the shop he'd spent so much time at as a child.   
  
Though neither boy was looking forward to the conversation that needed to be had with Burt about Kurt moving to New York with Cooper, it was easy to forget about sad things when Kurt looked so excited, his bright blue eyes sparkling.   
  
Blaine made it home quickly, narrowly avoiding getting pulled over for speeding, and darted inside, waving a quick hello to his mother as he ran up the stairs.   
  
To his intense relief, Kurt and Cooper were sitting on his bed playing cards. Kurt set the cards in his hand down and slid off the bed, crossing over to throw his arms around Blaine's neck and kiss him. “Hi, sweetheart, how was school?”   
  
Blaine couldn't help but return Kurt's smile. “It was awesome, actually. Practice got canceled today though.”   
  
Cooper looked up from where he was picking up their game. “Why?”  
  
“Turns out we're going to be a Warbler short from now on,” Blaine remarked coyly. “Coop, I don't know what you said to Sebastian, but he _transferred schools_.” Blaine's voice was bright.   
  
Cooper just shrugged. “We just had a little talk and we decided that it would be best for all parties involved if he didn't come within fifty yards of you or Kurt.” He tossed the closed up deck of cards onto the nightstand. “Now that you're home, I'm going to get in the shower.”   
  
Cooper threw his legs over the side of the bed and strode out of the room, a self-satisfied smile on his face.   
  
Kurt pressed a kiss to the side of Blaine's neck. “Ready to go?” He asked, his voice bright and hopeful.   
  
Blaine smiled and took his hand, leading him out of the room. 

The drive to Lima seemed shorter than usual, even with the time allotted to stop for Blaine to get them both coffee.  
  
By the time they were pulling in the parking lot to the tire shop, Kurt could barely sit still. They'd parked around back so that they could just walk straight into Burt's office, trying to gather as little notice as possible.   
  
It was warming up so the door was open to let the breeze in. Burt was sitting at his desk, tinkering with some sort of an engine part. Kurt jumped out of the car, looking around quickly to make sure no one would see, and ran inside. Blaine saw Burt jump in surprise before his face lit up and he crossed the room to pull Kurt in for a hug.   
  
Blaine made it to the door as Kurt was sitting down in a padded chair in front of his father's desk. Blaine dropped down into the chair next to him and took his hand, unsure what to do with his own.   
  
They'd been talking about nothing in particular for about half an hour, just catching up when Kurt took a deep breath.   
  
“Dad,” he said, his voice growing serious and a little sad. “I've decided, well, Blaine and I have decided, that I'm going to be moving in with his brother in New York.”  
  
Burt's face hardened as he processed the words, clearly unhappy with the idea of Kurt going away again but also obviously weighing that against the benefits.   
  
“I'm going to go back to school and I'm going to be able to graduate and go to college,” Kurt added, genuine happiness in his tone.   
  
The man eyed Blaine a little skeptically, still wary of the entire situation. “And you're okay with this?”  
  
Blaine squeezed Kurt's hand and nodded “Yes, sir. It was my idea. As much as I hate being apart from Kurt, I know that this is what's best for him. My brother will take good care of him.”   
  
Burt lifted his baseball hat and rubbed a hand across his forehead, thinking. “Well, Kurt, if you've thought about this, then I say go for it. I'm gonna miss ya though, buddy. I just got you back.”   
  
Kurt gave his father a sympathetic smile, reaching across the desk to take his hand. “Dad, you're not losing me again. You can come visit me and we can go out and do things. Remember when I was ten and you promised that one day you'd take me to see a show on Broadway?”   
  
Burt laughed. “I knew you'd hold me to that.”   
  
A genuine smile crossed Kurt's face and a peal of laughter bubbled out of his throat.   
  
They stayed for a little while after that, but when the sun started to set, Blaine mentioned that they should probably get going. He kissed Kurt on the top of the head and waited outside as he said his goodbyes to his father.   
  
When Kurt came outside, Blaine opened the door for him, patting his arm as he got in the car. Blaine climbed in the driver's side and heard Kurt sniffle once before wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.   
  
“Are you alright, sweetheart?” Blaine's voice was soft. He reached across the console to take Kurt's hand and press a kiss to the back of it. Kurt nodded and put his other hand on top of Blaine's.   
  
“Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just going to miss my dad,” he said sadly, his thumb sliding across Blaine's knuckles. “I guess it didn't hit me until now that I'm _really_ going to be leaving.”  
  
Blaine nodded sympathetically and squeezed Kurt's hand.   
  
“Can we go home now?” Kurt asked, his voice thoughtful. What he was thoughtful about, Blaine wasn't entirely sure.   
  
“Sure,” he said easily, taking one hand off of Kurt's and starting the engine.   
  
The car ride home was strangely silent aside from the sound of Blaine singing quietly along with the radio. Kurt watched the scenery out the window, his fingers toying idly with Blaine's across the console.  
  
At one point, Blaine had felt eyes on him so he turned toward to see why. Kurt had a small, adoring smile on his face that made warmth shoot down to Blaine's toes. He laughed out a quiet sound.  
  
“You're staring,” Blaine noted matter-of-factly.  
  
Kurt's smile widened, his tone mimicking Blaine's. “You're beautiful.”   
  
There was a change in the air. Blaine could feel it, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. Something about the look of determination in Kurt's eyes, the sureness, made his knees weak even though he was sitting. 

Once they made it in the door, Blaine called out for his brother.  
  
“He's not here,” Kurt said by way of an answer. He was standing next to the coffee table, holding a note in his hand. He held it up to show Blaine. “He went out with Amy. He says not to wait up.” Kurt wrinkled his nose. “She's not good enough for him,” he added, mostly to himself before setting the note down.   
  
Blaine made a questioning noise, but Kurt dismissed it with a wave and followed Blaine toward the kitchen. Kurt dropped down into a chair and watched the other boy flit around the kitchen, making tea for them both.   
  
He turned when his phone chimed from the counter. He screwed up his face in confusion, patting his pockets. “I thought I brought my phone with me when we left. I must have left it by accident,” he said, reaching out to pick it up. He held the phone to his ear with his shoulder as he listened to his voicemail while he finished making tea.   
  
He set the phone down, still stirring in the sugar for Kurt's tea. “Mom and dad are going to be staying over in Columbus tonight. That party they went to ran late and they don't want to drive home in the middle of the night. Looks like it's just going to be us tonight.”   
  
Suddenly, he felt Kurt's lips pressing against his neck, arms winding around his waist. He smiled and turned around in the embrace so that he could kiss Kurt properly. He let himself be crowded against the counter and kissed for a few minutes, his arms wrapped around the back of Kurt's neck, before breaking away with a quiet laugh. “Our tea's getting cold, honey. We've got all night.”  
  
Kurt smiled and took the cups from the counter, carrying them to the table and beckoning Blaine to follow. He set the cups down and took Blaine's hand. Something about the atmosphere of the room felt strange.   
  
“Kurt what's the matter?” Blaine asked, concerned.   
  
“Nothing's the matter, Blaine. I just--” He broke off, taking a deep breath, steadying himself for whatever it was he was going to say. “You know how we're always careful not to push too far, to take things really slowly?” Blaine nodded, feeling more confused than ever. “Well, tonight, do you think we could.... _not_?”   
  
Blaine's eyes widened as he processed the words. His mind was brewing up a million questions, but the only thing he could manage was, “What?”  
  
Kurt pulled in a deep breath and took Blaine's hands. “I love you more than I've ever loved anyone in my life, and the thought of leaving hurts so much. I just don't want to go to New York without showing you how much I love you.”   
  
He watched as Blaine dumbly processed the words. “O—Okay,” he whispered, the words sinking in.   
  
Kurt wanted this. Wanted _him_. The thought sent sparks shooting down Blaine's spine.   
  
The tea was ignored, left to go cold on the table, as Kurt leaned over and kissed Blaine, lips sliding, slow and building across Blaine's.   
  
Kurt broke away, but he didn't go far. He leaned forward to rest his forehead against Blaine's. “I love you _so_ much.” The words were nothing more than a reverent whisper.   
  
“Mmm, love you, too,” Blaine hummed contentedly.   
  
Kurt lifted his hands to frame Blaine's face before kissing him again, chaste compared to the others. “I'm going to go take a quick shower,” Kurt said, his voice low and soft.  
  
Blaine's eyes fluttered closed as he felt Kurt's thumb sliding across the apple of his cheek. “'kay,” he murmured. Kurt kissed him once more, sweetly on the lips and stood up to leave.   
  
As soon as he heard the sound of Kurt puttering around upstairs, Blaine stood up and took the teacups to the sink, pouring out their untouched contents, his mind miles away, in thought.   
  
He knew that this wouldn't be Kurt's first time, not really. The thought made his stomach churn sickly, so he quickly pushed it aside.   
  
But that's why everything had to be perfect. He wanted this to be the first time it's ever mattered, the first time it's ever meant anything. Because he needed it to mean something. He wanted to give himself to Kurt completely, but more than anything, he wanted to show Kurt just how much he's cherished.   
  
He quickly formulated a plan and set to work, and by the time he heard the shower turn off upstairs, he had everything ready. 

\--

He dropped down on the couch, tapping his foot nervously on the floor. He waited for what felt like an eternity until he finally heard Kurt's voice from the top of the stairs.   
  
"Blaine?" Kurt called, his voice tentative and seeking.  
  
Blaine smiled and called back, "Downstairs, Kurt."  
  
He heard Kurt's socked feet padding against the floor as he made his way out down the stairs.   
  
Kurt's eyes widened comically as he walked through the door to the living room, clad only in a pair of flannel pajama bottoms. Blaine could see his eyes taking in the image of the dimly lit room. The coffee table had been pushed aside in order to make more room.   
  
The extra space provided by shifting furniture was now occupied by a homemade tent made out of bedsheets and blankets draped over chairs. The makeshift tent door was open revealing a cozy space lit up by the small, battery-powered camping lantern that Blaine had dug through the garage to find. A sleeping bag was spread out over the floor of the tent and there were throw pillows and the blanket from the back of the couch lying on top of it.   
  
Kurt's hand was covering his mouth and his eyes were brimming with tears. Blaine gave an anxious smile, rubbing his hand across the back of his neck. "I know it's not much, but I can't really afford to get a hotel or anything and--" he broke off. He didn't want to say _And you wouldn't be allowed into a fancy restaurant._ He took a deep breath and continued, his words coming out a little fast from nerves. "I just—I want this to be special for you, Kurt."  
  
Kurt crossed the room quickly and wrapped his arms around the back of Blaine's neck, kissing him sweetly. "It's perfect, Blaine."  
  
Blaine breathed an audible sigh of relief and he took Kurt's hand. "C'mon," he said excitedly, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet as he led the other boy toward the tent. "Lemme show you what I did."  
  
The taller boy laughed quietly and let himself be dragged toward the tiny door, falling to his knees and shuffling inside after Blaine. It was warm and comfortable inside the tent, only dimly lit by the lantern. Blaine sat, cross-legged on the blanket, watching Kurt with an adoring expression. Kurt's smile brightened his entire face as he settled down across from Blaine.   
  
Blaine had been so busy watching Kurt that he'd almost forgotten. "Oh. I got this, too," he said cheerfully, holding up a container of strawberries and a tall bottle and two wine glasses.   
"You got us wine?" Kurt asked, his eyes widening.   
Blaine laughed brightly. "I wish. No, it's sparkling grape juice, sorry."  
  
Kurt smiled and leaned across the small gap to press his lips against Blaine's lovingly, letting his thumb trace the apple of the younger boy's cheek. "I love it. You have no idea," he whispered reverently.  
  
Blaine's face lit up in a smile and Kurt leaned across the small space to kiss him.   
  
They took turns giggling and feeding each other strawberries, enjoying their time to just _be_ until Kurt smiled gently and took the empty glass from Blaine's hand and set it aside, leaning forward again to kiss him.   
  
He let Kurt's hands slip the shirt over his shoulders and come to rest on the button of his jeans. “Can—Can we take these off?”   
  
It was a real question. It seemed as though Kurt honestly wanted an answer and would be content if that answer was 'no'. But Blaine had no mind to refuse. He lifted his hips and let Kurt pull off his jeans and underwear in one fluid motion, tossing them aside, before sliding off his own pajama bottoms.   
  
Kurt's skin seemed to almost glow in the dim light of the tent and Blaine was momentarily breathless from the sheer beauty of it all. He'd seen Kurt naked before, but this was different somehow and so _so_ much more.   
  
He felt a little self-conscious as Kurt's eyes raked over his body. He fought the desire to try and cover himself somehow until Kurt spoke, leaning forward again to slide a hand along Blaine's arm comfortingly. “You're so beautiful, Blaine. I don't think you have any idea.” 

With that, a warm smile spread across Blaine's face and he kissed Kurt lovingly, pulling him forward and guiding Kurt to lie on top of him.   
  
Kurt tangled his fingers in the back of Blaine's curls, letting his tongue slide across the seam of the younger boy's lips. Blaine whimpered out a soft sound and Kurt took the opportunity to slide his tongue inside the warm cavern of his mouth. Kurt's hands slid down Blaine's body to map out the planes of his chest. He pulled back to whisper, “So beautiful, Blaine.” against his boyfriend’s lips as his hands dipped down further, sliding gently across the other boy's stomach, brushing against the head of his cock.   
  
Blaine's hips lifted off the floor, unconsciously seeking Kurt's hand. Kurt deepened the kiss, sliding his knuckles along Blaine's length teasingly for a moment before wrapping his long fingers around Blaine's cock and giving a few lazy strokes. Blaine whined against Kurt's lips, pushing forward forcefully and wrapping his arms around the other boy's neck, coaxing him to lie down. He batted Kurt's hand away and kissed him once, chastely.   
  
He rolled them both until he was slotted between Kurt's legs and kissed down the column of his neck, sucking lightly at where he could feel his pulse fluttering, pressing a kiss to skin and moving to mouth along Kurt's jaw.   
  
Kurt's hips arched slightly and he made a soft sound in the back of his throat. “Come here,” he breathed, lifting Blaine's chin and kissing his lips.   
  
One of Blaine's hands lifted to cup Kurt's cheek while the other slid down Kurt's front, palm exploring his chest. Blaine pressed a kiss to his boyfriend’s lips before kissing his way down Kurt's neck, chest, and stomach, pausing to drop fleeting kisses to his skin.   
  
He dropped a kiss to Kurt's navel, eliciting a soft gasp. He let his hands slide across Kurt's sides as he kissed over Kurt's hipbones, pausing to suck hard enough to leave a mark. Kurt's breath was becoming a bit ragged. “B-Blaine, please...” The words trailed off, the thought incomplete but the meaning clear. Blaine kissed over Kurt's belly a little longer before letting his lips trail to where Kurt's cock rested, flushed and hard, against his stomach.   
  
He stopped to take in the image of Kurt, lying naked and completely beautiful. His eyes had fluttered closed but his hand had come to rest on top of Blaine's on his hip, loosely twining their fingers together. Blaine dropped a kiss to the back of Kurt's hand, causing a small smile to quirk up the corners of his mouth. He mumbled a quick, “Love you” into Kurt's skin before wrapping his hand around Kurt's cock.  
  
Kurt whined quietly and arched into his hand, Blaine's name coming out in a soft breath as the younger boy started moving his hand, slowly stroking Kurt while dropping hot kisses to his stomach and hips before using his hand to guide Kurt's cock to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to the heated skin and sucking gently before wrapping his lips around the head and sinking down.   
  
A desperate sound bubbled out of Kurt's throat and Blaine could feel his body very nearly shaking with restraint. He slid his thumb across Kurt's knuckles before pulling out from underneath Kurt's hand. He moved his arm to rest over Kurt's belly, pressing down with just enough force that Kurt wouldn't need to restrain himself anymore. He heard the other boy breathe a sigh of relief, his hand coming to rest on the back of Blaine's head, tangling his fingers into his curls.   
  
Blaine breathed in through his nose as he sank down further on Kurt's cock, feeling it bump into the back of his throat. Kurt keened and he felt him struggle beneath his arm, wanting to bury himself deeper. Blaine pulled off before sinking back down, hollowing out his cheeks. He massaged the sensitive ridge of Kurt's cock with the flat of his tongue, loving the way it made the other boy's fingers tighten in his hair.   
  
“B-Blaine, s-stop,” Kurt stuttered, weakly pushing his head away. 

Blaine wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and kissed Kurt's thigh. “What's the matter, Kurt? Was it not good?”  
  
Kurt laughed out a breathless sound. “No, it was good. _Too_ good.”  
  
“Oh.” Blaine grinned widely, trying not to seem too proud.   
  
Kurt giggled and took the opportunity to pull Blaine up and roll him to his back, positioning himself above him. He smiled softly and brushed a stray curl from Blaine's forehead. “I love you so much, Blaine.” He brushed their lips together, a soft smile on his face. “So perfect.” Another kiss. “So beautiful.”  
  
“K-Kurt,” Blaine whimpered as Kurt's hands started exploring his chest again. “I want you. Please.”  
  
Kurt looked up, his hands still roaming across Blaine's chest. “You're sure?” He asked softly, bringing his lips to Blaine's again as though he couldn't keep away.   
  
Blaine swallowed and nodded. He'd never felt more sure about anything, even if he felt more vulnerable than he'd ever felt in his life. Kurt must have sensed it, because his face suddenly turned serious, his touches turning soft and gentle.   
  
“Blaine, sweetheart, this is a big step and I just want you to be sure. I just want you to know that I'll never hurt you or force you to do anything you aren't comfortable with,” Kurt said, his words slow and deliberate.   
  
Blaine leaned up and connected their lips, kissing him desperately. It still amazed him that he could manage to fall further in love with Kurt every single day. He wrapped his arms around the back of Kurt's neck, pulling him closer.   
  
“Kurt, I love you, and I'm one hundred perfect sure that I want this. I want _you_. God, I wish I could go back and take away all the bad things that have happened to you, but I can't. All I can do is tell you how amazing you are. How loved and _cherished_ you are,” Blaine whispered, his voice was thick with emotion and he could see the wetness shining in Kurt's eyes even in the dim light from the lantern.   
  
Blaine's name fell from Kurt's lips on a breath and he leaned down and connected their lips. This kiss was new, a kiss that promised more. It made Blaine's heart race and he kissed back with all he had. After a few intense moments, Kurt broke away, breathless. “We—We don't have anything...”  
  
Reaching behind him, Blaine lifted the corner of the blanket they were lying on and pulled out a small bottle of lube, a sheepish smile on his face. “I—I swiped it from Cooper's room earlier while you were in the shower.”  
  
Kurt laughed and kissed Blaine with a loud smack, taking the bottle from where it rested next to Blaine's thigh and thumbing open the cap. Kurt pet his cheek with his free hand gently, comfortingly as his other hand slid between his legs.   
  
Blaine's breath hitched as he felt Kurt's finger gliding across his opening, his own fingers digging into Kurt's shoulder. Kurt kissed him lightly on the lips, still giving soft touches to his face as he kissed him. “Have you ever done this before? To yourself I mean?” Kurt asked, his voice soft. Blaine shook his head, swallowing thickly.   
  
“I-Is that okay?” Blaine asked, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious.   
  
“Oh, yeah, sweetheart, it's okay. I was just wondering.” Kurt kissed him softly and he felt Kurt's finger stop skating across his opening and start to be a gentle pressure. “Just breathe normally through your nose, honey.”  
  
Kurt brought their lips together, kissing Blaine as a distraction, as his finger pushed inside him, crooking and stretching. Kurt dropped his free hand to slide across Blaine's stomach, still kissing him and watching his face for any signs of discomfort. It wasn't uncomfortable. It pretty much just felt like a finger, odd but not painful. “Can you take another?” Kurt asked finally. Blaine nodded and Kurt kissed him again, slow and building as he traced another finger along Blaine's hole before sliding it in beside the first.   
  
Blaine's eyes screwed shut for a moment at the new intrusion. He could feel the second finger sliding into him, could feel himself stretching to accommodate it. It was new and, once the slight burning subsided, he rocked down against the fingers out of instinct, trying to draw them in deeper, a soft whine bubbling up in his throat. 

Kurt's fingers pushed in further, twisting and crooking maddeningly, causing Blaine's breath to hitch in his throat before speeding up. Kurt deepened the kiss, his free hand coming to rest on Blaine's cock, wrapping his fingers around it and stroking in time with the thrust of his fingers until Blaine was whining. Kurt crooked his fingers and brushed along something that made Blaine's breath punch out and white hot sparks fly up his spine.   
  
His back arched and he heard himself babbling against Kurt's lips. Whatever he was babbling, he apparently made the request clear enough, because Kurt repeated the motion. Blaine's hips bucked off the floor, a loud moan slipping past his lips to vibrate against Kurt's.   
  
Kurt took advantage of Blaine's distraction to pour a little more lube on his fingers and work a third finger inside of him. Blaine whined and rocked down against the fingers and Kurt sat up, kneeling between Blaine's legs, watching his fingers disappear inside the younger boy's body. He leaned down to drop sweet kisses to Blaine's trembling thighs, his face struck with reverence as he looked down at Blaine, laid out bare and trusting. “You're so amazing, Blaine. You have no idea.”  
  
Blaine whined and pushed back against Kurt's hand again, wondering if he looked just as utterly wrecked as he felt. He decided quickly that it didn't matter; he trusted Kurt and suddenly realized that he was completely at ease with letting the older boy see him like this. He knew that Kurt wouldn't hurt him or do anything to make him regret the trust; Kurt would take care of him, make sure he was alright. The thought was enough to make warmth spread through him, make the already quickened pace of his heartbeat flutter just a little more.   
  
In the dim light of the tent, Blaine could still see Kurt's lust-blown eyes, tiny rings of brilliant blue just barely visible around black. His hair was hopelessly ruffled and his porcelain-pale skin was flushed a delicate pink. Blaine couldn't ever remember seeing anything so beautiful.   
  
“P-Please, Kurt...I need _you_.” The words came out around a breathy moan as Kurt's fingers brushed that spot again.   
  
Kurt leaned down and kissed Blaine's stomach, sliding one hand soothingly across the skin while still working the other hand slowly in and out of him, whispering a soft “Okay” as he slid his hand free and stretched out over Blaine.   
  
Blaine quickly tangled his arms around the back of his boyfriend's neck and pulled him down for a kiss, letting his mouth go slack and allowing Kurt to take control of the kiss. He kissed him, slow and building, for a moment before pulling back, stroking his thumb across the apple of Blaine's cheek.   
  
“I want you to tell me if I hurt you, okay?” He said, his voice rough but soft. Honest concern saturated the words. Blaine nodded and Kurt ducked down to kiss him almost chastely on the lips. “I love you,” he whispered, kissing him again.   
  
Blaine lifted his hand to brush away a stray lock of hair from where it was stuck to Kurt's forehead. “I love you, too.” There was a soft smile on his face that Kurt returned, ducking down again to connect their lips as Blaine felt a blunt, insistent pressure against his opening before Kurt slowly, agonizingly slowly, started to push in.   
  
Fighting the urge to cry out, Blaine bit his lip instead, doing his best not to show that it hurt.   
  
“Breathe, sweetheart,” Kurt murmured, stroking Blaine's cheek lightly.  
  
He knew that this was a part of it, but it seemed like a small sacrifice in exchange for being intimate with Kurt. And it was. Kurt was looking down, watching himself sink inside Blaine's body as he worked Blaine's cock slowly with one hand. Clearly another distraction. Blaine could feel Kurt's thighs trembling with restraint, trying not to push in too much all at once. Blaine focused on Kurt's face as he felt him push in the rest of the way before stopping and holding statue still. 

Kurt's eyes had fluttered closed and his kiss-reddened lips were slightly parted, blush blooming high on his cheekbones from the heat of the small tent and exertion. Stunningly beautiful.   
  
“How do you feel?” Kurt's concerned voice was thready and low, and his head ducked to press hot kisses along Blaine's jaw, nuzzling his nose along the barely-there stubble.   
  
The burning was wearing off and he could focus in on the feeling of Kurt inside him, filling him. The feeling of fullness was overwhelming. The only thought his brain could process was _Kurt is_ inside _me_. He could feel the stretch and the pressure, could feel the way his body was begging for more, begging for Kurt to move. His body was wound tight, needing Kurt's touch. Everywhere Kurt's fingers would brush felt like it had sparks radiating from it.   
  
The way his body craved Kurt's, his touch, his lips, his everything, was perfect. It made Blaine feel safe and cared for in a way he never had before. He finally understand what it meant to truly trust someone, to lay yourself bare to them and surrender yourself to their hands, knowing that they'll love you and care for you. He understood what it meant to make love to someone. Because there was no other name for what they were doing.   
  
“It feels so perfect, Kurt,” Blaine breathed, leaning up to connect their lips, his fingers threaded into the back of Kurt's hair. “Can you move?” He whispered, his voice rough and desperate.   
  
Kurt rested his forehead against Blaine's and pulled out slowly, the drag was enough to make Blaine's eyes slide closed before Kurt rolled his hips and buried himself inside Blaine.   
  
Blaine felt his fingers unconsciously tighten in Kurt's hair as his head fell back against the pillow. “Oh, god, Kurt...”   
  
The whispered words hung heavily in the air. Blaine wrapped his legs around Kurt's waist, his ankles knocking as Kurt began to thrust shallowly. Kurt brought his lips to Blaine's, kissing him deeply and swallowing Blaine's moans as his cock brushed against his prostate with each thrust.   
  
Kurt put his hands on Blaine's hips and began rolling his hips faster, causing Blaine to choke on a moan, his hands scrambling up to grip Kurt's bicep tightly. He stretched up to press hot, wet kisses to the side of Kurt's neck, sucking roughly around his collarbone, eliciting a drawn out moan from the other boy. 

Heat was pooling low in Blaine's belly and all he could _heartastetouchsmell_ was Kurt. It was almost overwhelming.  
  
Kurt shifted and ducked down to kiss Blaine, whining against his lips, “I'm so close, Blaine. Love you so much...”   
  
Blaine whimpered as Kurt flicked his tongue across his lips before dipping inside his mouth, seeking and tasting.   
  
“K-Kurt, touch me...please...” Blaine moaned out on a breath.   
  
Kurt reached between them and took Blaine's aching cock into his hand, stroking quickly. It wasn't long until Blaine felt himself being driven toward the edge, Kurt's name falling from his lips like a prayer.  
  
“You're so beautiful like this, Blaine,” Kurt whined, his voice wrecked, kissing him again, loving and desperate. “Oh God....Blaine—I'm going to come...” Kurt surged forward, his hips stuttering out an erratic rhythm before stilling.  
  
Kurt's hand kept up its pace working over Blaine's cock and Blaine felt the pulsing twitch of Kurt spilling out his release inside him and it was enough to drive him over, he came hard, panting out choked whines as his orgasm crashed over him in never ending waves. Kurt alternated between peppering kisses on and around his lips and just panting against his skin as he came down from his own high.   
  
Blaine lifted a boneless arm to twine his fingers into the back of Kurt's hair, feeling sated, loved, and the most perfect kind of tired. Kurt's eyes were glistening as though he was holding back tears, but the soft smile on his face was enough to make warmth spread through Blaine's body.  
  
“I love you so much, Kurt,” Blaine mumbled sleepily.   
  
Kurt rolled to the side and pulled Blaine tightly into his arms. Blaine happily curled into his side, resting his head on Kurt's chest and throwing an arm over his middle as Kurt pulled a blanket over them.   
  
He dropped a kiss to the top of Blaine's damp curls, “I love you, too.”  
  
The warmth of the tent and the sound of Kurt's still quickened heartbeat lulled Blaine toward sleep, and by the time Kurt's heartbeat slowed to its normal rhythm, they were both asleep, comfortable, safe, and loved in the presence of the other. 


	11. Chapter 11

Blaine was _almost_ awake. That pleasant, fuzzy state where everything was just a bit more comfortable. Kurt's body was close, keeping him just this side of _too_ warm. It was one of those moments where he never wanted to move, never wanted anything to change.  
  
They had shifted in the night, both rolling to their sides with Blaine pressed flush against Kurt's front, pulled close into being the little spoon, Kurt's arm a heavy, welcome weight against his belly, his own hand resting over Kurt's, their fingers tangled loosely together. He could feel Kurt's breath on the back of his neck and slid closer into his hold.  
  
Kurt stirred a bit behind him, waking up but still very clearly not awake yet. They laid in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Blaine felt Kurt's lips press against the back of his neck and hears a soft, mumbled, "Morning, sweetheart."   
  
Blaine's body warmed at the sound of Kurt's sleepy voice, struck again by how much he loved the beautiful boy behind him. A million memories came rushing back at the sound of Kurt's voice. Memories of the quiet moans and pleas of the night before and his name falling from Kurt's lips in a breath as Kurt's eyes fluttered shut and rocked into him a final time before stilling.  
  
He couldn't help the small smile that touched his face as he remembered. Lips pressed against his shoulder this time and Kurt's hold tightened.   
  
Blaine's answering voice was whisper quiet. "Morning."  
  
Blaine turned himself around in Kurt's arms and leaned forward to kiss him.  
  
Kurt quickly covered his mouth, mumbling something about morning breath against his hand. Blaine pulled it away with an answered, "Don't care." and pressed their lips together, kissing him slowly. He was just about to deepen the kiss when he heard someone clearing their throat outside the tent. Cooper.   
  
"I hate to disturb the love nest," he laughed, clearly _not at all_ sorry for disturbing them. "But you guys better get all this cleaned up before mom and dad get home in a couple hours. And, Blaine, you're already late for school."  
  
Blaine dropped his head into the crook of Kurt's neck, letting out a sigh. "Never enough time," he lamented.   
  
Kurt chuckled and kissed the top of his head. "Never enough."   
  
Blaine peeked out the door of the tent and noticed that Cooper was nowhere in sight, so he took Kurt's hand and made a mad dash to the bathroom, Kurt giggling behind him the whole way. Kurt threw his arms around Blaine the moment they were inside the bathroom, kissing him as he kicked the door shut with his heel.   
  
"Kurt..." Blaine admonished fondly, breaking away and giggling as Kurt's lips trailed down his neck.   
  
Kurt laughed but kept his hands on Blaine's waist as he leaned forward and started the shower, steam filling the room as the water heated up.   
  
They made out lazily under the spray of the shower, hands roaming across bodies and kisses breaking away to trail down necks and chests, pausing long enough to wash before going back to kissing.  
  
The heat of the shower was working to unknot Blaine's sore muscles. He wasn't entirely sure that he disliked the ache. It was a constant reminder that what he and Kurt had shared the night before had been _real_ and not just a perfect dream.   
  
A sharp banging on the door was enough to pull them from their own little world. Cooper's voice from the other side of the door was insistent.   
  
"Come on, Blaine, if mom and dad find out how late you are, they're going to blame me. Let's go!"  
  
Blaine gave Kurt a final kiss on the lips before stepping out of the shower and wrapping a towel around his waist, Kurt following shortly after  
  
By the time Blaine was dressed and downstairs, Cooper was shoving a bagel and travel mug of coffee in his direction as he pointed toward the door. 

The day passed too quickly and not quickly enough all at once.   
  
It hurt to be away from Kurt even for such a short time when a much more permanent separation loomed on the horizon. Today was it. Cooper and Kurt were packing up his room while Blaine was sitting in class. The thought was enough to bring tears to Blaine's eyes and he mumbled and excuse of not feeling well to his teacher before hurrying to the bathroom and shutting himself in a stall to cry.   
  
He reminded himself over and over that it was selfish to want Kurt to stay, and truthfully, that wasn't it at all. He _didn't_ want Kurt to stay. He knew the best place for Kurt was New York, but it killed him that he wasn't going too.   
  
As Blaine pulled into his driveway after school, not even stopping to give the Warblers a reason for his absence, Cooper was just finishing packing up his car. Blaine's breath hitched at the finality that the scene represented.   
  
He cut the engine and stepped out of his car, feeling lost in his own driveway. Cooper approached quickly. Blaine jumped because he hadn't even seen him coming, his eyes fixed on the loaded car.   
  
Cooper's arms were around him, pulling him close. For a moment, Blaine felt like a child again, taking comfort in his brother's arms during a thunderstorm. He felt just as vulnerable as a child, desperately needing reassurance that this was in fact the right decision. It felt like any decision that pulled Kurt further away from him was the wrong decision. He wanted to beg and plead Cooper to take him too, but he knew it was a futile effort. It wasn't Cooper's choice.   
  
"It's okay, B," Cooper said softly, sliding a hand across Blaine's back. "He's going to be fine. I know it hurts, but I know that _you_ know that this is what's best for him."  
  
Blaine nodded weakly against his brother's shoulder. "It hurts, Coop."  
  
Cooper shushed him and hugged him tighter. "I know, but this is what he needs. He can't stay here."  
  
Blaine knew all of this, but it helped to hear the words coming from Cooper's mouth. Cooper pulled away, his hands resting on Blaine's shoulders. "Go inside. Kurt's waiting for you upstairs."   
  
Blaine nodded woodenly and turned to go inside, trudging up the stairs. Kurt was sitting on their bed, his gaze fixed on the small item he was turning around in his hand.   
  
"Hey," Blaine whispered. He couldn't make his voice any louder. "What's that?"  
  
He crossed the room to sit next to Kurt on the bed, taking the object out of his hand. It was his slaveband. Blaine hated even touching it so he let it fall to the bed quickly.  
  
"I've got everything packed," Kurt said quietly. "I just can't figure out what to do with _that_." He gestured toward where the metal ring lay on the bed.   
  
The thought struck Blaine. What should they do with it? It had been a symbol of Kurt's enslavement for three years, the thing that marked him as something society viewed as _less_. Somehow, just tossing something like that in the trash felt wrong.   
  
Blaine looked up, because Kurt had started speaking again. "Will you hang on to it? Bring it to New York with you when you come."   
  
He didn't want the damned thing in his room, but he nodded, unwilling to deny Kurt anything. "Yeah, honey, I'll keep it."  
  
"Good. We can figure out something to do with it when you get to New York," Kurt said, his voice quiet.   
  
Cooper stuck his head in the door. "You ready, Kurt?"   
  
Kurt laughed humorlessly. "Not really. But I guess now's as good of time as any."   
  
Blaine's breath hitched in his throat as Kurt tangled their fingers together and pulled him off the bed. He was in a daze as he followed Kurt silently down the stairs. Everything seemed to be surreal, colors dulled and movements seeming sluggish. He had to pull himself together or else he was going to break. Kurt didn't need the guilt of seeing him cry. 

They stopped just beside the passenger's side door, Cooper walking around the car to make sure everything was in order. Blaine knew that his brother was just doing his best to give he and Kurt as much privacy as possible for their goodbye.   
  
It seemed as though the gravity of the situation had finally hit Kurt. His eyes were fixed on Blaine's face, tears falling silently. There was a small, sad smile on his face. His tears were easily heard in his voice.   
  
"I can't believe I finally get to see New York and you're not going to be there with me." Kurt shook his head sadly.   
  
Blaine stepped forward and pulled him in for a hug. "It's only two days and then I'll be there for a week. It's okay," he comforted, thumbing away a stray tear on Kurt's cheek. "I love you, Kurt."   
  
Kurt sniffled softly and pressed himself closer to Blaine. "I love you, too, Blaine."  
  
Blaine pulled out of the hug slowly, letting his hands slide down Kurt's arms to intertwine their fingers, a small encouraging smile on his lips. "Two days, Kurt. It's just two days." The words came out no higher than a whisper, his eyes never leaving Kurt's, neither seeming to know what to say.   
  
Blaine slid his hands back up Kurt's arms to grip his shoulders and pull him close.   
  
He leaned in for a kiss, but Kurt turned his head and whispered, "What about the neighbors?"  
  
Blaine smiled and put his hands on either side of Kurt's face, "Let them look. Let them see just how much I love you. Let them be jealous that I get to kiss the most beautiful boy in the world and they don't."  
  
Kurt's face lit up and he surged forward to connect his lips to Blaine's, twining his arms around the back of his neck to pull him impossibly closer, knotting his fingers in the back of Blaine's curls, a soft moan slipping out as Blaine sucked at his bottom lip before pulling back and resting his forehead against Kurt's. He let one of his hands drop from Kurt's face to slide down his arm. Kurt's eyes fluttered closed and he lifted a hand to cover Blaine's on his cheek.   
  
He let his thumb slide across Kurt's bottom lip. Warmth spreading through him as he felt Kurt press a kiss to the pad of his thumb.   
  
"I love you so much, Kurt," Blaine whispered, his voice low and reverent. Kurt whined quietly and leaned forward to press a gentle kiss to Blaine's lips.   
  
Blaine leaned around him and pulled open the car door.   
  
Kurt's hands flew to his own hair, his voice came out breathless and disbelieving. "I—I can't believe this is happening. I'm going to New York and I'm--" He broke off. His eyes looked distant and more than a little afraid.   
  
Blaine smiled and pulled Kurt's hand from his hair and squeezed it between them. "You _are_ going to New York. I want you to get in that car and never look back." A quiet sob escaped Kurt's throat, but Blaine squeezed his hand tighter, shaking his head. "Kurt, sweetheart, don't cry. You deserve New York. You are so much better than this place."  
  
"But you're staying here..." Tears were falling from Kurt's eyes in earnest now.  
  
"Kurt, I will spend every moment I can with you until I can be with you forever. It's a year. Just a year. We can do this. You go and get settled, and I'll be there in two days. I promise." He smiled softly and patted Kurt's cheek. "Call me whenever you stop, alright?"  
  
A watery smile touched Kurt's face and he nodded. Blaine leaned forward to kiss his lips before helping him into the car and shutting the door, stepping back as Cooper started the car. He watched as the car slowly started to back out of the driveway, waving once before tucking his hands into his pockets and watching the car drive away.   
  
He swallowed thickly and turned back toward the door, finally letting the helpless tears escape his eyes as he made it inside, running upstairs and curling up on his bed and crying in earnest, praying for unconsciousness to find him.  
  


_-xXxXx-_   
  


_Sounds were rushing through Blaine's ears. Sounds of chatter and children darting between their parents, but also disturbing sounds of crying and "discipline", the sharp smack of a hand meeting someone's skin.  
  
And the smell. The smell was enough to turn Blaine's stomach and coupled with the cacophonous sounds swirling around him, he felt like he was going to be sick.   
  
He wanted to run away from the scene, but something about it felt too familiar. He recognized an overweight salesman standing in front of a platform of prominently displayed slaves. He knew how the scene was supposed to play out and why it was familiar. He was able to glance past the man to see a familiar figure huddled up in the blankets.   
  
His first instinct was to run toward the pile of blankets and pull Kurt into his arms, hold him tight and run as far away as he could. He tried to do just that, but his feet were stuck. He couldn't move.   
  
A voice over a P.A. System rang out: "Last call for purchases. The market will be closing in five minutes."   
  
The twisting in Blaine's stomach intensified. Realization struck him like lightning. It was too late. He couldn't save Kurt, Kurt who had been marked as a reject.   
  
People started to file out of the building and the bright lights were extinguished in favor of smaller ones, there was no need for bright lights to display the goods anymore.   
  
His eyes were glued to the salesman, sheparding the unpurchased slaves toward a nearby loading door and into the back of a small cattle trailer that would take them back to God knows where.   
  
He could see Kurt's eyes, just barely open, weak and terrified. This was a boy who knew that he was going to die. Blaine saw tears sliding down Kurt's cheeks and his mind was screaming for Kurt to run, but he remembered how weak Kurt had been that day and knew there was no escape.   
  
The salesman busied himself in the back of his truck for a moment, returning with a large, zippered bag and a small case. He tossed the bag unceremoniously onto a nearby folding table and opened the box, fiddling with something inside before pulling out a syringe and turning toward the pile of blankets behind the now empty platform.   
  
The fear and helplessness in Kurt's eyes made Blaine want to scream, but he couldn't speak. He was trapped, forced to watch the bored-looking man stalk toward where Kurt was lying on the blankets, his eyes now squeezed closed tightly.  
  
All that Blaine heard was Kurt's voice, small, broken, and weak beg one final time, a whisper quiet _"please" _as the man uncapped the needle and stuck it in Kurt's arm._

 

-xXxXx-

 

Blaine woke with a start, his clothes stuck to his body with sweat. He barely registered anything around him as he threw himself out of bed and darted to the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before expelling the contents of his stomach.   
  
He flushed the toilet with a shaky hand and lowered the lid, resting his heated face against the cool plastic.   
  
His heart ached and his eyes were burning from tears. He felt helpless. Completely and totally helpless. As soon as he was sure he wouldn't fall, he stood up, crossing to the sink and rinsing his mouth out, actually brushing his teeth in an attempt to let the mint of the toothpaste soothe his sore stomach, still twisting painfully with the memory of his nightmare.   
  
He fell back into his bed and let his emotions take him under again. 

He didn't know how much later it was, but he must have actually cried himself to sleep. The feeling of someone sitting too close pulled him through the layers of sleep and toward reality. Someone was carding their fingers through his hair, so he slowly dragged his eyes open to see his mother sitting beside him, a sympathetic expression on her face. He shifted until he was sitting, scrubbing his eyes with the heel of his hand.   
  
"Blaine, honey," his mother cooed sympathetically, her eyes soft. "What's the matter?"  
  
He squeezed his eyes shut to stop the fresh tears threatening to escape. His mother wouldn't understand. He knew that. But he needed to hear that it was going to be okay. Even if he knew it wasn't. He couldn't make his voice sound any higher than a pained whisper. "K-Kurt..." he choked out.   
  
His mother made a sympathetic noise and pulled him into her arms. Blaine leaned into the embrace, but the feeling of warm arms around him only made him feel more empty. They were the wrong arms; they weren't Kurt's. The thought was enough to make the tears start falling. He allowed himself to be comforted, allowed himself to momentarily forget that his mother would never understand the pain he was feeling. Kurt was a slave and Blaine was a free citizen; Kurt was expendable and shouldn't be missed.   
  
He'd successfully deluded himself into thinking his mother was offering him genuine support.  
  
Until she spoke...  
  
Her voice was soft and kind. "Blaine, honey, you're young, and I know that you believe that you love him, but, baby, he's not good enough for you. Surely you see that. Surely you see what he's doing? He's using your kindness against you, sweetheart."  
  
The soft sureness of her tone was enough to make Blaine's fractured heart break just a little more. She honestly thought she was right. In her world, there was no way that Kurt was capable of returning genuine love and kindness because he was a slave, something _less_. He couldn't even find it in himself to be angry. The entire thing was just overwhelmingly _sad_.   
  
Blaine shook his head weakly, his words still no higher than a whisper. "Mom, you don't understand. You're wrong." His voice was choked by tears, but he continued anyway, knowing deep down that it wouldn't do any good. "Kurt loves me, really loves me, and I love him. And if you would just _talk_ to him, you'd see that he's amazing and kind and completely beautiful. It's not an act."  
  
The woman's smile, soft and motherly, stayed in place as Blaine spoke. She patted his shoulder in a placating gesture. "Honey, I know you believe that, but--"  
  
"Don't!" Blaine said, his voice quiet but forceful. "I know _you_ believe that what Kurt and I have isn't real, but _I_ know that you're wrong." He took a deep breath and shook his head slowly.   
  
"As hard as it is for you to believe, Kurt _loves_ me every bit as much as I love him. And it hurts me _so_ much that he was forced out of the house because neither you nor dad can understand that Kurt is no different than us." He shifted away from the woman, gesturing pointlessly with his hands as though it would make her understand."He's smart and funny and caring, and you won't even try to see that. You just do what everyone else does; you turn up your nose and think you're superior, but you're not." 

His mother looked down at her lap and Blaine continued. "Mom, think about this. If something happened and you and dad and Cooper were in an accident, the exact same thing would happen to me. They would put me into circulation and I would be just like Kurt."  
  
She blanched at the thought but Blaine kept going. "Would I still be better or would you think I was trash, too? Kurt has a father and he _had_ a life. He was a normal kid just like me, but then he was taken away and put into circulation. He didn't ask for any of this. All he wants is his life back. And I will do anything I can to help him get it, because I love him. Not because he's tricking me, not because I want something in return, I love him because he's the most amazing and beautiful person I've ever known."  
  
The woman was watching Blaine's face as he spoke, a small, sad smile spreading across her face. "I forget sometimes how grown up you are. You've always been beyond your years, but I always look at you and see my baby." She patted his cheek and sighed. "Blaine, sweetheart, does he make you happy?"  
  
Blaine nodded. Tears were threatening to escape his eyes as he whispered, "So happy, mom."  
  
She took his hands and squeezed them tightly in her own. "Then that's what matters. I'm not going to pretend to understand any of it, but if you say that it's real then I believe you." She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Blaine. The tears were spilling from his eyes. "I think that an exception could be made for the rest of the week considering it doesn't look like you're in any fit state to go to school anyway."  
  
Blaine pulled back, hopefulness fluttering across his sad features. "M-Mom...what are you saying?"  
  
"Why don't you get your things packed and I'll rearrange your flight to New York. Start spring break a little early. God knows you deserve it," she said, smiling. She stood up and patted Blaine's face.   
  
Blaine was still frozen, shocked at the turn of events. She pressed a kiss to his forehead and turned to leave. "Oh, call your brother and tell him," she said quickly before exiting the room.   
  
Blaine jumped at the sound of his door closing, a bright smile lighting up his face. He fumbled around on the nightstand for his phone, picking it up and quickly dialing Cooper's number.   
  
"Hey, I've got something to tell you, but you can't tell Kurt," Blaine whispered into the phone, grinning widely. 


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a clickable link in this chapter. It's not essential to click on it, but I think it adds to the chapter. :)

Kurt fell asleep slowly, the bed a little too big and a lot too empty. It had taken an eternity to finally get comfortable enough to sleep, his body complaining that it was too cold without Blaine curled into his side, too quiet without Blaine's breath nearby. He'd let a few tears escape before telling himself that he had _no_ reason to be sad. He was free now.   
  
He'd waited three years, had all but given up hope that anything like this would ever happen. But now that he was free and in the city of his dreams, it all somehow felt empty. Wrong.   
  
Cooper had taken him out for dinner when they'd gotten into the city, some fancy restaurant that Cooper swore he'd seen Robert De Niro in. Afterward, they'd walked through Central Park. It was beautiful in a way Kurt couldn't even begin to describe, but he found himself noticing little things, like how a spot looked perfect to show Blaine. He imagined all thing things they could do, read or talk, or Kurt could listen to Blaine play his guitar. All his thoughts drifted back to Blaine.   
  
When he did fall asleep, thankfully, he didn't dream.   
  
Sunlight was peeking through the curtains when Kurt woke up to the feeling of something strange.   
  
There was a soft, muffled giggle next to him, but he quickly deduced that the sound wasn't what woke him. Something small was batting at the side of his chin repeatedly. It felt almost like a paw.  
  
Unsure whether or not he was actually dreaming, his let his eyes slide open just in time to hear another giggle and feel something warm touch his face again. When his eyes finally made it all the way open, they were met by a pair of tiny blue ones. He blinked twice and reached forward, his hand brushing against a small, warm body that leaned happily into his touch.  
  
The action was met by another soft giggle from close by. He turned his head to see Blaine smiling down at him.   
  
"Blaine, you're here," he said, smiling sleepily. He yawned quietly and continued, quirking up an amused eyebrow. "With a [kitten](http://www.findakitten.co.uk/images/gallerykitten26.jpg)."   
  
Blaine smiled and picked the fluffy gray and white tabby kitten up off of Kurt's chest. The cat purred and nuzzled under Blaine's chin. "I hated the thought of you sleeping in a bed by yourself when I'm not here, so I brought you someone to cuddle with."   
  
“Blaine...” Kurt sighed fondly, leaning over to kiss him, breaking away giggling when the kitten started pawing at his cheek. He leaned down and kissed the small animal on its tiny, fluffy head. “Yes, yes, I love you, too.”   
  
Kurt took the kitten from Blaine's hands, cradling it to his chest. The grateful feline nuzzled against the front of his shirt.   
  
“But...you're here?” Kurt said in a question.   
  
Blaine's face lit up. “I'm here. My mom saw that I was miserable and decided to let me come early, though I don't think my dad knows.”  
  
“It doesn't matter,” Kurt said with a smile. “You're here now and that's what matters.”   
  
Blaine curled in close to Kurt's side, the kitten side-eyeing him possessively, clearly unwilling to give up his spot on Kurt's lap. Blaine rested his head on Kurt's thigh and enjoyed the comfortable silence of everything being as it should be. He laughed as he felt the kitten nuzzling against his hair, pawing curiously at his curls. 

“Where'd you find him anyway?” Kurt asked, scratching just behind the kitten's ear, making his tiny chest rumble with the sound of his quiet purring.   
  
“Oh, I had the cab drop me off about a block away from the apartment, because I wanted to walk around a little, and I saw this little girl sitting on a blanket with a box in front of her. He was the only kitten left and her mom wouldn't let her keep him. I stopped to look and he reached up toward me. I couldn't just leave him there.”  
  
Kurt chuckled fondly, stretching down to kiss Blaine on the lips. “You just can't help yourself, can you?”  
  
Blaine curled further into Kurt's side, feeling the heavy weight of his exhaustion and jet lag pressing down on him. “Nope,” he mumbled sleepily, smiling up towards Kurt.   
  
Kurt leaned down and kissed his forehead, stroking fingers across his cheek. “I'm so glad you're here, sweetheart.”  
  
“Mmm...me too...” Blaine trailed off.   
  
Kurt pulled the comforter up around him, thankful that Blaine had the forethought to change into his pajamas. He set the kitten between them and pulled Blaine against his side, the unhappy kitten climbing right back to his spot on Kurt's chest. Kurt threaded his fingers through Blaine's curls and drifted to sleep comfortably.  
  


-xXxXx-

 

 _Blaine!_  
  
Blaine sat up with a start at the sharp sound of Cooper's voice yelling through the apartment. “Uh-oh.”  
  
Kurt shifted until he was sitting up, leaning into Blaine's side, wrapping his arms around the younger boy's middle and rubbing his eyes. “What?”  
  
Blaine didn't get a chance to answer before Cooper came storming through the door, a very unhappy expression on his face and a kitten looking around excitedly from the palm of his hand. The kitten lifted its little head and meowed up toward Cooper's face, nuzzling happily against his chest.   
  
"Blaine, do you want to tell me why I found _this_ curled up, asleep, in the sleeve of my _brand new_ Hugo Boss suit?" He held up the kitten in one hand, pointing to it with the other. The oblivious kitten batted at the extended finger before stretching up to gnaw on it instead. Cooper rolled his eyes and tried to force down the smile tugging at the corners of his lips.   
  
Kurt smiled and rolled out of bed, crossing the room and retrieving his kitten. He smiled slyly at Cooper, petting the happy kitten's head with his thumb. "He did it because he's got good taste. Don't you, sweetheart?" He cooed. The kitten reveled in the attention, nuzzling into Kurt's chest.   
  
"Do you know how much that suit cost me?" Cooper asked, trying for exasperated.   
  
Kurt snorted derisively and crossed back to the bed, dropping down beside Blaine and setting the kitten between them. It meowed unhappily and climbed back into his lap.   
  
"I don't know where you got that thing," Cooper said, pointing at the kitten again. "But keep it out of my bedroom, off my bed, and _out of_ my Hugo Boss suit jacket!" Cooper tried to be forceful, but the words broke off in a chuckle. Blaine laughed and reached over to scratch the kitten's head. "I _mean_ it, you two. I now have cat hair on my Hugo Boss suit, Blaine. _Hugo_ Boss."   
  
Cooper gave the little nuisance a parting glare and left the room. Kurt giggled and slid closer to Blaine, lifting the kitten up and eskimo kissing his nose before setting him on Blaine. "I think I may have figured out the perfect name for our kitten," he laughed. He pressed a kiss to Blaine's lips before lying back down, the newly named, Hugo purring happily on Blaine's chest.  
  
Blaine reached up and tangled his fingers with Kurt's against his chest, letting out a quiet contented sigh. “This is how it should be,” he said quietly, lifting their intertwined hands to his lips to press a kiss to the back of Kurt's.   
  
Kurt let out a sigh and craned his neck to kiss Blaine's forehead. “I just wish it could be like this all the time. You'd never have to leave and we could just lie here forever.”  
  
Blaine hummed out a sound of approval and slid himself closer to Kurt, smiling softly as he felt Kurt's arm automatically tighten around his shoulders. They laid in comfortable silence, the quiet only disturbed by the sound of a low curse from the living room as Cooper's phone rang.   
  
There was tension in his voice when he spoke, and Blaine stiffened as he realized who Cooper was talking to on the phone. He looked to his side to see that Kurt had dozed back off, so he turned his head to drop a kiss to his chest before straightening up and sliding out of bed, going quietly out of the room and shutting the door behind him.   
  
He sat down next to Cooper who had the bridge of his nose pinched in between his thumb and forefinger.   
  
“No, dad, I understand where you're coming from, but you're wrong he--”  
  
The shouting from the other end of the phone wasn't totally unexpected. Their father didn't take handle being told he was wrong well. Blaine could only make out a couple words, “.......ungrateful.....trash like that......sick perversion.”  
  
Cooper's eyes flashed at the last word and he reached out automatically to squeeze Blaine's hand. 

“He loves Kurt, dad. There's _nothing_ sick or perverted about it,” Cooper answered, clearly struggling to keep his voice even and diplomatic.   
  
Their father answered but Blaine couldn't make out any of his shouted words, but the way anger flashed through Cooper's eyes again and the way his hand instinctively gripped Blaine's tighter made Blaine glad that he couldn't hear.   
  
“Listen, I'm not going to argue with you. This is what Blaine wants and you need to respect that. He's almost an adult. Blaine is your son and you should love and accept him for who he is, even if you don't completely agree--”  
  
Cooper pulled the phone away from his ear and checked the screen, his eyes looking defeated and still angry. “He—He hung up on me.”  
  
“I'm so sorry for putting you through this. You don't deserve to be dragged through my drama,” Blaine apologized, feeling guilty.   
  
“Blaine, stop. Don't even think that. I'm here for you. Always have been. You know that.”  
  
“I know, but--”  
  
“No buts, B. You're not taking this on alone.” Cooper took a deep breath and set his phone down on the coffee table, straightening his spine and turning to Blaine, his eyes serious. “Blaine, I have a feeling that this is going to get worse before it gets better, but I need you to know that I'm here for you, no matter what. No matter what happens, you've got a place to call home, alright?”  
  
Cold reality washed over Blaine as Cooper's words, and their implication, sunk in.   
  
“Dad was really mad, wasn't he?” Blaine asked sheepishly, already knowing the answer.   
  
“Yeah.”  
  
Blaine dropped his eyes to the floor. He'd long since stopped looking for approval from his father, but there's always something about knowing the fact that his father refers to his love for Kurt as a “sick perversion” that made his heart ache. He knew his father disapproved of his “lifestyle choice”, but he never knew the real extent of his father's disapproval.   
  
Cooper could see the sadness in Blaine's eyes. He clapped a hand on his little brother's shoulder and leaned down to meet his gaze. “Blaine, Kurt loves you and you love him. That's what matters. Don't let anything dad says make you doubt that. Got it?”  
  
Blaine sniffled and looked toward his brother's face. “What if dad says I have to come home or he makes me go to a shrink or something?”   
  
“Shh....Blaine...” Cooper's face was a mask of sadness. He took a deep breath and tried again. His tone was serious as though he was trying to convey a point. “Blaine, I don't think the issue would lie with him _making_ you come home. I think the issue is whether you're going home at all.”  
  
Blaine's eyes widened, tears threatening to spill over. “Oh.”   
  
“But, I don't want you to worry, Blaine,” Cooper was quick to add, scooting closer and wrapping his arm tightly around his brother's shoulders. “I was kinda expecting something like this, so I called and got you into the same school as Kurt. It'll be a different program—you'll be more mainstream than he is—but you can take online classes and graduate on time.”  
  
Blaine looked up to meet his brother's eyes, his face incredulous. “What?”   
  
His voice was no higher than a breath. How long had he been in the dark about his father's disgust over his life? How much did Cooper know?   
  
“When I saw the way you'd look at Kurt, I knew that there was something more there, even if you didn't know it yet. I could see how much you cared about him, and I knew that I'd never seen anyone make you happier than Kurt. You laugh around him. You smile more. And I knew that it would be hard for you at home, having to hide from dad, but I also knew that, one day, he'd find out. I just wanted to make everything as easy as possible for you, Blaine.” 

Cooper's voice broke off on the last word, his eyes brimming with tears. He cleared his throat and continued.   
  
“B, I know it's been really hard growing up with mom and dad being gone so much. I tried to make sure that you always had someone there when you came home, someone to talk to about your day and help you with your homework, but I know it wasn't the same. But I tried _so_ hard to make sure that you knew that someone was there for you no matter what--”  
  
“I did, Coop,” Blaine smiled sadly and squeezed his brother's hand. Cooper returned the gesture and the weak smile before continuing.   
  
“I'm not saying it was ideal by any means, but I like to think that I did well by you. You know right from wrong, and I've never met anyone more compassionate. Which is why it shocked me so much when mom called to brag that you got a worker.” His voice twisted around the last word. “I couldn't believe it. It broke my heart, but as soon as I got home and saw what a mess you where, I felt guilty for even entertaining the thought that your intentions were anything less than pure.  
  
“I watched Kurt get better and smile more, and every time he'd smile or do the smallest thing, you would just get _so_ happy. _He_ made you happy. And I wanted that for you, Blaine. You deserve someone who is just as amazing as you are, and Kurt is perfect for you. You two deserve each other and I'm not going to let anyone—especially dad—get in the way of something that makes you both so happy. He doesn't get to come in now, this late in your life, and decide to play the father figure. He doesn't get to do that. He hasn't earned it.”  
  
Blaine's eyes were wide and he could feel tears streaking down his cheeks as he watched Cooper with incredulity. “Coop....I—I don't know what to say....” he stuttered. “Thank you. For—For everything.”  
  
“You don't have to thank me,” Cooper answered, clearing his throat to even out his voice. “Just...take care of Kurt, alright. I'm not sure how he's going to take to living in a city with so many people right away. He was kind of jumpy last night. But you always seem to calm him down, so...” Cooper trailed off. “Just—Just watch him, alright. Make sure he's okay.”   
  
Blaine gave a small smile and leaned in for another hug, squeezing briefly before pulling away. “I will, Coop.”   
  
They both turned at the sound of a small commotion coming from Blaine's bedroom followed by a low oath and a giggled apology. Kurt appeared in the doorway holding Hugo, blushing when he saw two sets of eyes on him.   
  
“He was sitting by the side of the bed waiting for me to get up and I didn't see him. I almost went right over the top of him.” Kurt laughed softly, leaning down and kissing the kitten's little head. “I'm sorry, sweetheart,” he cooed. Hugo nuzzled into his chest, so clearly Kurt's transgression was forgiven.   
  
Cooper laughed and smacked Blaine on the thigh. “Alright, I want you two dressed and out of here in an hour. You're showing Kurt around the city.”   
  
Blaine cocked his head to the side, smiling. “I am?”   
  
“Yep. You've both been cooped up for too long. Get out and have fun. Be teenagers for once in your life,” Cooper instructed fondly.   
  
After having money thrown at them, Kurt and Blaine left for the day. As they made it to a taxi, Blaine finally asked, “So, where to?”  
  
Kurt's face lit up. “How about we go to Central Park? I saw the prettiest place and I want to show you,” he said excitedly. Blaine laced their fingers and nodded to the cab driver.   
  
It turned out, after stretching out underneath a tree in the April sunshine, there wasn't much energy for anything else, not when lying together in the shade and watching the wind play through the surrounding trees and flowers just seemed like the perfect way to spend an afternoon. By the time the sun set, the evening chill was starting to set in.   
  
Blaine wrapped his jacket around Kurt's shoulders and grabbed his hand, deciding to take the time to walk back to the apartment instead of taking a cab. Kurt's eyes sparkled as he took in his surroundings. Blaine couldn't even bring himself to speak, so he just watched the excitement and unreadable emotion play itself out beautifully across Kurt's face. 

By the time they made it back to Cooper's apartment, the sun had set completely.   
  
“If we go out on the fire escape, the lights of the city are amazing,” Blaine commented. His words were only met by a soft expression in Kurt's eyes. Kurt leaned over and kissed him on the lips softly, his hand coming up to cup the younger boy's cheek.   
  
Slowly, Kurt pulled away, a gentle smile playing on his lips. “I love you so much, Blaine.”  
  
Blaine's answering smile was dazzling, and he leaned forward slightly to kiss Kurt again. “I love you, too.”   
  
The mood changed when the elevator doors opened and they stepped into the hallway. Blaine suddenly realized why Cooper had wanted he and Kurt out of the apartment that afternoon when they heard harsh shouting coming from Cooper's apartment, the voices barely muffled by the door. Kurt squeezed Blaine's hand tightly, rubbing soothing circles into the space between his thumb and forefinger as they listened.   
  
Cooper's voice was furious. “No, you listen to me, you've got no right trying to lay down the law in his life. When he needed you, you weren't there so you sure as hell don't get any say now when he _doesn't_ need you! I fucking raised _your_ son while you were out jetsetting. If you wanted to have any say in his life you should have stayed home and been a real father!”   
  
“Cooper, all you're doing is encouraging this sick behavior, and I won't--”  
  
“You're damn right I'm encouraging it. And there's nothing 'sick' about it. You're just to blind to see that! I don't want you here when he gets back. You said what you came to say now I want you the hell out of my apartment and _out_ of Blaine's life!”   
  
Kurt turned to look at Blaine and saw his crestfallen face. He squeezed the younger boy's hand a little tighter. “Come on, sweetheart, let's just go.”  
  
Blaine shook his head. “No, this isn't Cooper's problem to fix. I need to go in and talk to my father.”  
  
“No, you don't,” Kurt said quickly. “There's nothing you need to say or do for him. And I'm sure that nothing he's going to say is going to be good. Blaine, I hate the way he talks to you. I just--”  
  
“I know, Kurt, but I just need to try,” Blaine said, dejected.   
  
Kurt took a deep breath, still clearly very unhappy with the decision and leaned forward to turn the doorknob, kissing Blaine on the cheek before opening the door for him. 

Kurt squeezed Blaine's hand as he followed him through the door, barely a step behind.   
  
  


Two pairs of eye met them the moment they stepped through the door. Cooper's eyes were wide and anxious, looking ready to throw himself in the middle of whatever conflict he was so clearly expecting, and Blaine's father's eyes, which were furious.   
  
The man crossed the room quickly and Kurt immediately positioned Blaine behind himself, stiffening his spine defensively. The look in Blaine's father's eyes sent fire racing through his body, he knew  _ exactly _ what accompanied that kind of anger and he'd be damned if any of that wrath would be inflicted on Blaine.   
  
“Move! This has nothing to do with you. This is between my son and I,” the man spat, trying to strong-arm Kurt aside.   
  
Kurt wouldn't be moved. “No, it has  _ everything _ to do with me. I love him and if you want to lay a hand on him, you're going to have to get through me first.” Kurt's voice was nothing short of a growl.   
  
Blaine's father looked affronted, his anger rising by the second. “I'm telling you  _ one last time _ : Move.”  
  
“And I'm telling  _ you _ that there's no way in hell I'm letting you touch him. Now, I think Cooper told you to leave...”  
  
“Yes, I did,” Cooper added, his voice much closer than Kurt was expecting. He had come to stand on the other side of his father, his arms crossed in front of his chest.   
  
Kurt nodded and turned away from Blaine just a bit, feeling a little safer with Cooper so close. He pointed toward the door. “Now, unless you'd like some help leaving, I suggest you go now. And don't come back. Blaine doesn't need someone as toxic and hateful as you in his life. So get the hell out!”   
  
The man stood frozen, his entire body shaking with rage. “How  _ dare _ you speak to me that way? You disgusting little reject! I wish he would have just let you die. We'd all be better off!”  
  
Blaine lunged forward and, before Kurt could even process what had happened, the sound of a punch landing echoed through the room. Kurt surged forward and grabbed Blaine.  
  
Blaine was screaming as he fought against the hold that Kurt now had on his waist.   
  
“You bitter, hateful,  _ ignorant _ man! How could you say that? No one deserves what Kurt's been through and you just continue to make it worse, because your bigoted mind won't let you see that Kurt is just like us, except better! He's smart and funny and kind and beautiful and you won't even give him a chance!”  
  
His father had pulled himself together from the hard punch to the jaw and was stabbing a finger toward Kurt and shouting. “No, I  _ won't _ give him a chance, because what you're doing is wrong! It's sick, Blaine!”   
  
Cooper snarled and grabbed his father's arm, clearly getting ready to begin his own verbal assault, but Blaine cut him off.   
  
“Well, let me tell you something,” Blaine bit out, his voice low and even, brimming with barely tamped down rage. “There has never been a single  _ second _ when I lived with you when I felt loved and cared for the way I feel living with Cooper and Kurt. Family is supposed to support you and encourage you to be happy, not tell you that you're sick or that your love is a 'perversion', and you  _ never _ did that, so I'd rather stay here and be  _ sick _ with Kurt than come back to Ohio and be  _ healthy _ with you. Because  _ you're _ the one that's sick. Your hatred and closed-mindedness has made you sick, and I almost feel bad for you.”  
  
Cooper nodded and gave Blaine a tense smile of encouragement before squeezing his father's arm again. “I believe that Blaine has made himself clear. Now  _ leave _ ,” Cooper demanded, his voice low and threatening. 

The man straightened up and opened his mouth as though he was about to snap a retort to Cooper, but saw the look that promised violence and apparently thought better of it. Cooper used his grip on his father's arm to shove him roughly toward the door, slamming it behind the man the second he stepped outside.   
  
Kurt whirled Blaine around until they were facing, surging forward to connect their lips, tears streaming down his face. “I love you, Blaine. _So_ much,” he breathed against Blaine's lips, his hands coming up to frame the shorter boy's face.   
  
Blaine's face crumbled, the anger and shock falling away to complete devastation and Kurt pulled him tight against his chest as if he could hold him together, whispering soothing nonsense into his ear as he felt the sobs wracking Blaine's body.   
  
Cooper sounded concerned when he caught sight of Blaine. “Take him to bed, Kurt. Make him lie down for a little while.” Kurt nodded, and turned to lead Blaine toward the bedroom, stopping when Cooper called out a quiet, “Wait.”   
  
He framed his brother's face with his hands and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “I'm so proud of you, B. You stood up for the people you love, and I know that all of this sucks, but you should be proud of that. Because I am. I'm _so_ proud to be your big brother, Blaine.” The words were barely whispered by the end, Cooper's eyes filling with tears.   
  
Blaine threw himself toward his brother, wrapping his arms tightly around the older boy's middle. Cooper returned the embrace with just as much force. “I love you, Cooper,” Blaine said through tears.   
  
Cooper pulled him tighter. “I love you, too, Blaine.”  
  
They pulled away slowly and Kurt was there with open arms to wrap around Blaine's waist and a small smile to Cooper before taking Blaine into the bedroom. The shaking in the smaller boy's body had subsided and the way he was walking just seemed _tired_ , completely and totally _exhausted_.   
  
Kurt was thankful that it was late enough to be acceptable to go to bed. He could hear Cooper getting himself ready for bed, apparently just as eager to put the night behind him as Kurt was. Kurt helped Blaine out of his clothes and into bed, opening his arms and letting him curl into his side.   
  
Blaine laid in silent thought for a few minutes, his head pillowed on Kurt's bare chest, sliding his thumb across his collarbone. Even in the silent room, Kurt barely heard Blaine speak. “Kurt?”  
  
“What, sweetheart?” He asked, his fingers threading through the boy's curls.   
  
“Do you think my dad was going to hit me when I walked in?”  
  
A fresh wave of anger flashed through Kurt, but he pushed it down. Blaine was safe now. “Yes.”  
  
The next question came just as quickly as the last. “What would you have done?”   
  
Kurt didn't even have to think before he knew his answer. “Much worse than you did, that's for sure.”  
  
Blaine turned his head and pressed an appreciative kiss to Kurt's chest and fell back into silence. Kurt was almost sure that he'd fallen asleep and leaned down to drop a kiss to the top of Blaine's curls before letting his own eyes slip closed.   
  
Again, Blaine spoke, his voice soft and inquisitive. “Kurt? What are we?”   
  
Kurt opened his eyes, his face screwing up in confusion. “What do you mean?”   
  
“Earlier, when I was yelling at my father, I almost called you my boyfriend, but that didn't seem right. It almost seemed reductive. It's just that...” Blaine pulled in a deep breath and let it out in a gust. “We've been through _so_ much together that 'boyfriends' just didn't seem to fit.”  
  
Silence settled over them as Kurt thought about Blaine's words, his fingers still threading through the younger boy's curls. “I hadn't actually thought about it,” Kurt said honestly.   
  
It was true. Since he'd found out that Blaine shared his feelings, the feelings he'd been terrified to show, afraid that, if he voiced them, the best thing that ever happened in his life would just pop like a soap bubble. 

Once Blaine had kissed him, completely flipping his world on its head, he couldn't bring himself to question anything, just to hold on to it for dear life. In his opinion, they didn't need a label. _Any_ label they could put on their relationship didn't seem to fit.   
  
Blaine's soft voice interrupted his thoughts. “Well, what do you see when you look at me?”   
  
A wide smile crossed Kurt's face and he leaned down to press a kiss to the boy's forehead. “I just see _my Blaine_ ,” Kurt said with a smile. “My amazing, beautiful, sweet Blaine.”   
  
Blaine's face lit up with a dazzling smile and he slid out from under Kurt's arms, shifting to straddle Kurt's waist, looking toward his face with pure adoration in his eyes. “I can be _your Blaine_.”  
  
He leaned forward and brushed his lips against Kurt's, his hands framing the older boy's face, kissing him once more sweetly before pulling back and resting his forehead against Kurt's.   
  
“And I'll always be your Kurt,” Kurt whispered, the breath ghosting across Blaine's lips.  
  
“My perfect Kurt,” Blaine said in a reverent breath, bringing their lips together in a featherlight dance that grew desperate quickly. They broke away, breathless. Blaine rested his forehead against Kurt's and rolled his hips down against the hard line straining the front of Kurt's briefs.   
  
Kurt lifted a hand to cup Blaine's jaw and pull him closer, letting his tongue slide across the seam of Blaine's barely parted lips before crashing them together. “B-Blaine...need you...” was all that Kurt was able to stutter out, his hands falling on Blaine's hips and dragging them down with more force.   
  
It was all the coaxing Blaine needed. He pressed a final kiss to Kurt's lips before kissing down his neck and chest, pausing to nip lightly at each of Kurt's hipbones, making Kurt arch off the bed and tighten his hold on Blaine's curls.   
  
Blaine hooked his thumbs under the waistband of Kurt's underwear and kissed along the elastic before sliding them down Kurt's legs and tossing them aside and settling on his knees between Kurt's legs, still holding his left leg and pressing a kiss to the bone of his ankle, his calf, the side of his knee, and sliding his thumb over a patch of scars on the the inside of his thigh before dropping a reverent kiss there as well.   
  
Kurt squirmed on the sheets and a small noise slid past his lips. Blaine massaged Kurt's thighs as he dropped kisses to his stomach, one hand sliding up the smooth skin of his thigh to wrap warm fingers around Kurt's hard length, stroking slowly for a moment before tapping Kurt on the hip so that he'd look down to where Blaine was pressing a kiss to the head of his cock, wrapping his lips around it and sinking down.   
  
“Oh _God_ , Blaine,” Kurt gasped, his fingers tightening in Blaine's hair and watching his cock disappear into Blaine's warm, willing mouth.   
  
Seconds later, he nudged at Blaine's shoulder desperately and Blaine pulled off, still stroking Kurt with the hand that wasn't sliding across Kurt's inner thigh. “Too close?” He asked. Kurt whined and nodded.   
  
Blaine made to stretch out next to Kurt, to let Kurt get him ready, but Kurt had a hand on his shoulder to stop him, his eyes completely lust blown but filled with love and adoration as well as something that Blaine couldn't quite place. Trust, maybe?  
  
“Blaine, I—I want _you_ tonight,” Kurt said quietly, reaching up to slide his thumb across the apple of Blaine's cheek.   
  
“Kurt, are you sure? We don't have to. I mean I know you've...” The sentence broke off. He had no idea how he'd planned to finish it.   
  
“I trust you, Blaine. I know that you'd never hurt me, and if I said 'stop', there wouldn't be any hesitation; you'd stop. I love you, and I wish it would have been _you_ the first time...” 

“It kind of is your first time, Kurt,” Blaine pointed out, leaning down to kiss him. “None of those other times count, sweetheart. Not to me, and they shouldn't count for you either. You didn't want it.” Kurt swallowed thickly, so Blaine kissed him again. “This will be the first time anyone has _made love_ to you, Kurt, and that means more to me than anything.”  
  
A small smile touched Kurt's face and Blaine brushed their lips together again and continued. “We're doing this because we both want to. Because we're young, stupid, and madly in love.”   
  
Kurt's face lit up into Blaine's favorite smile, the one that showed his teeth and made his eyes sparkle. It never failed to take Blaine's breath away. There were tears brimming in Kurt's soft eyes and Blaine smiled and wiped them away with his thumb as Kurt spoke. “I love you so much, Blaine. You'll never know what you've done for me. And I just love you. So much.”  
  
“Shh...” Blaine was quick to soothe. “I love you, too.”   
  
Blaine held himself over Kurt, kissing him as Kurt's fingers trailed teasingly along his bare sides before pushing at the waistband of his underwear, sliding them down at an awkward angle until he was able to catch them with his toes and pull them off. Blaine giggled softly and kissed Kurt's lips. “Very impressive, sweetheart.”   
  
Kurt smiled and framed Blaine's face with his hands again before bringing their lips together, lifting his hips to meet Blaine's, eliciting a clipped gasp at the sudden friction. Blaine leaned to the side, opening his nightstand drawer and pulling out a bottle of lube. He paused and let his eyes take in the image of Kurt, naked and trusting, and the realization began to sink into his lust hazed brain that he had no idea what he was doing.   
  
Kurt apparently saw the completely lost expression on Blaine's face because he smiled gently and took the bottle from his hands with a quick kiss on the lips. “Watch me, and you can do it next time, sweetheart.”  
  
Blaine nodded and slid his flat palms across Kurt's chest as he watched his hand disappear between his legs, listening to Kurt's breath become thready and his eyes flutter closed. Blaine was transfixed by the blush that had colored Kurt's face and was spreading to the top of his pale chest. He couldn't fight the urge to drop kisses to the flushed skin, giving little kitten licks to the pebbled bud of Kurt's nipple.   
  
“Oh God, Blaine,” Kurt breathed, his free hand coming to rest on the back of the younger boy's head. “Up here. K-Kiss me...”   
  
Blaine didn't hesitate before surging their lips together in a messy, desperate, and completely perfect kiss. A fresh wave of arousal shot through Blaine's body as Kurt whined against his lips, his fingers gripping the back of Blaine's hair tighter. Kurt pulled away, his breath coming out in pants.   
  
“I need you,” Kurt breathed, kissing Blaine again once on the lips.   
  
Blaine kissed him as he shifted until he was over top of Kurt's body, thumbing open the cap of the lube and slicking himself up, sucking open mouthed kisses to anywhere his mouth could reach, murmuring soft endearments into Kurt's skin.   
  
He straightened up, his eyes never leaving Kurt's, and positioned his cock at Kurt's opening, pushing in with a bit of pressure until he head disappeared inside his body. Kurt's eyes had fluttered closed again and his chest was rising and falling with each quickened breath.   
  
“You're so beautiful, Kurt,” Blaine said breathlessly. He let his hand slide across Kurt's stomach, hoping to coax Kurt into opening his eyes. It worked. Blaine leaned down as he pushed in slowly until he bottomed out, kissing Kurt on the lips before pulling back and brushing away a stray lock of hair on his forehead. “I love you so much, Kurt.” 

Tears were shining in Kurt's eyes as he stretched up to kiss Blaine fully on the lips, his arms winding themselves around the back of Blaine's neck to pull him closer. “I love you, too. So perfect, Blaine.” Kurt's voice was breathy and low. “Y-You can move. I'm okay.”   
  
Blaine slid out and connected their lips before rolling his hips into Kurt, swallowing the moan that escaped Kurt at the action. Kurt's legs wrapped around Blaine's waist, pulling him closer, coaxing him in deeper. A low groan rumbled in Blaine's throat as he started rolling his hips in earnest, his head falling into the hollow of Kurt's shoulder, the tight, delicious drag coupled with the soft, perfect sounds falling from Kurt's lips pulling him to the edge quickly.  
  
Kurt was meeting his thrusts, rocking his body down against Blaine, quiet desperate whines pouring from his mouth. “S-So close, Blaine. Kiss me. P—Please--”   
  
Blaine cut off the rambling with his lips, kissing Kurt deeply, licking into his mouth and massaging Kurt's tongue with his own until Kurt broke away, his head falling back against the pillow. A quiet stream of pleas fell from his lips and his fingers tangled tighter into Blaine's hair as the younger boy's lips found his neck, sucking tenderly at the rapidly fluttering pulse.   
  
Kurt was gripping his bicep hard enough that there would more than likely be bruises, but Blaine couldn't bring himself to care, too focused on the needy, breathy whines coming from Kurt as he got closer to coming. “Blaine, please, right there--- _Oh my God_ \---right _there_ , please...”   
  
The words broke off with a gasp as Kurt's body arched off the mattress, his cock twitching as he spilled his release between their bodies, breathless moans slipping unashamedly from his throat as he pulled Blaine closer and held him tight against his body, his chest heaving. 

Seeing Kurt fall apart was the most beautiful thing Blaine had ever seen and it was enough to send him over the edge, crying out his release into the hollow of Kurt's throat as he thrust into him once, twice more before stilling, his arms shaking as they tried to support his weight over Kurt.   
  
He felt Kurt's fingers stroking the side of his face and leaned into the touch, letting his eyes flutter open to see Kurt's face, adoring and gentle. “So beautiful, Blaine. So perfect.”   
  
Blaine let himself collapse, rolling to the side and kissing Kurt, languid and indulgent. Kurt broke away just long enough to pull up the comforter. Blaine curled into Kurt's side and kissed him again until he was too tired to keep going, letting his head fall into the hollow of Kurt's shoulder and humming out a content sigh as he felt fingers come up to thread through his hair.   
  
Kurt dropped a kiss to the top of his curls. “Sleep, sweetheart. I love you.”  
  
“Mmm...love you, too,” Blaine murmured sleepily, turning his head weakly to press a kiss against the column of Kurt's neck and letting himself drift to sleep, warm and content.  
  


-xXxXx-

 

“I don't think I can...” Kurt said softly, his voice low and distant.  
  
Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurt's waist and stood in silence as Kurt contemplated the metal band he was twisting between his long fingers. He could just barely see the tears shining in Kurt's eyes as he lifted his head, looked over the banister of the pier and stared out at the water.   
  
Kurt's hands shook so Blaine steadied them in his own. “You can do this, sweetheart,” he assured, pressing a kiss to the side of Kurt's neck. “You can do _anything_.”  
  
Kurt took a deep breath and stepped out of the circle of Blaine's arms, reaching down to take Blaine's hand as he steadied himself and cocked his arm back, his face screwed up with determination and contempt, and threw the slaveband so far out over the water that Blaine lost track of it in the setting sunlight.   
  
Tears were streaming silently down Kurt's face and Blaine pulled him tightly into his arms, kissing him with everything he had, his hands framing the taller boy's face. “I love you so much, Kurt, and I am _so_ proud of you.”   
  
There was a new light in Kurt's eyes as he listened to Blaine's words. “I love you, too, Blaine.” The words were so sincere and earnest that they sent warmth flooding through Blaine's body. He leaned forward and kissed Kurt again before pulling away, taking his hand again.   
  
“Let's go home,” Blaine said softly.  
  
A blinding smile lit up Kurt's face and he nodded. “Let's go home.”   
  
Blaine lifted their intertwined hands to his lips and pressed a kiss to the back of Kurt's as they walked away from the pier without a backward glance. 


	13. Epilogue

_ Kurt Hummel _   
  
The officiator had no more than said the name into the microphone and Blaine was on his feet. Kurt gracefully climbed the small set of stairs onto the stage, reaching out to take the rolled up paper being handed to him. Blaine could see the tears shining in his eyes and knew there were tears sliding down his own cheeks.  
  
Kurt had thrown himself into his schoolwork, determined to graduate on time and, by the time Blaine's senior year rolled around, the school councilor deemed Kurt fit for mainstream education. It was the moment they'd worked toward for over a year, late nights finishing essays and senior research projects finally paying off.   
  
The rest of the students filed by to receive their diplomas and the officiator presented their  _ Class of 2013 _ . Blaine darted to Kurt's side in the middle of all the cheers and excitement, lifting the taller boy off his feet and spinning him in a full circle.   
  
Silent tears were sliding down Kurt's cheeks, and the triumphant smile on his face looked in danger of getting stuck there. Blaine secretly hoped that it would. It took his breath away.   
  
“Blaine, we did it!” Kurt said breathlessly. Blaine had to struggle to hear him over the cacophony of excited graduates. “We  _ graduated _ , Blaine!”   
  
Blaine reached forward, paying no mind to the room full of people and pulled Kurt flush against his front before surging their lips together, because he couldn't  _ not _ be kissing Kurt right then.   
  
“Kurt, baby,  _ you _ did it! I'm so proud of you. I love you so much!” Blaine's words were cut off quickly by Kurt's lips, turned up in a smile against his own.   
  
Cooper and Burt had appeared at their side by that point, but they went wholly unnoticed until Burt cleared his throat, an amused expression playing across his face. Cooper just laughed and mumbled something that sounded like “Now you see what I have to live with”, but there was no bite to his words, only fond amusement.   
  
Blaine smiled wider and pulled out of the embrace, reaching down to lace his fingers with Kurt's, unwilling to let go completely, as they were congratulated by Cooper and Burt. Blaine could see the tears in Cooper's eyes and the proud smile on his brother's face was enough to make Blaine feel another wave of emotion come over him.   
  
Kurt and Burt were huddled close together. Blaine couldn't hear what they were saying, but he knew it wasn't meant for him to hear anyway. He just gave Kurt's hand a gentle squeeze while his new friends came up to say their goodbyes.   
  


-xXxXx-

  
Blaine apparently hadn't been privy to the conversation about the huge party that Cooper had planned for Blaine, Kurt, and all of their friends, and had been quite shocked to come back to Cooper's apartment to find it completely transformed into something that more resembled a night club than an apartment.   
  
They'd no more than walked through the door when the guests started to arrive, all carrying invitations that they swore they'd received weeks ago. He'd heard Kurt giggle behind him before he felt a kiss be pressed to his cheek and soft “Surprise, sweetheart” be whispered into his ear. Blaine's face was a mask of shock as he opened the door wide and let an alarming amount of people into Cooper's apartment.   
  
Burt and Cooper had disappeared very shortly after the guests began to show up in droves, only leaving behind a hastily scribbled note stuck to the refrigerator that read:   
  
_Have fun, boys. Don't do anything I wouldn't do. ;)  
-Cooper_  
  
It was well after midnight when the party finally started to wind down. Blaine had lost track of Kurt in the crowd, but now that the number of guests was beginning to dwindle, he could see Kurt sitting on the fire escape, his knees pulled up to his chest as he stared out over the city.   
  
Blaine made his way over to the window, climbing out to sit down next to Kurt, letting the taller boy slide under his arm. Kurt leaned into Blaine, resting his head on his shoulder.   
  
“You alright, sweetheart?” Blaine asked, lacing their fingers together and letting his thumb slide across Kurt's knuckles.   
  
Kurt's answering voice was spaced out and quiet. “This is really happening, isn't it? I'm in New York City?” Blaine nodded. “I graduated high school?” Blaine nodded again, a smile touching his face. “A-And I'm got into _Parsons_?”   
  
Blaine's smile widened and he dropped a kiss to the top of Kurt's head. “Hey, Kurt,” he said quietly, his voice amused.   
  
“What?” Kurt asked softly.   
  
“You're in New York. You just graduated high school. And guess what else, baby,” Blaine prompted.   
  
He could see the bright smile on Kurt's face as he played along. “What else?”   
  
Blaine ducked down to kiss him on the lips. “You got accepted to Parsons on a full-ride, because you're the most amazing person on the planet.”   
  
“I can't believe this is happening,” Kurt breathed. “I'm going to the school of my dreams, literally the school of my _dreams_ , Blaine. And you're going to Tisch. Though, I never doubted that you'd get in.” He stretched up and kissed Blaine on the lips. “I just—I just can't believe it's _really_ happening.”   
  
Blaine pulled Kurt closer to his side and dropped another kiss to his hair. “Believe it.”   
  
Kurt took a deep breath, resting his other hand over Blaine's and sliding further into his side, pressing a soft kiss to Blaine's neck before looking back toward the lights of the city.   
  
“I'm not sure I ever will,” he whispered into the air. “I'm not sure I ever will.” 


End file.
